Ron's Diner: Under new management
by SWDarkstone
Summary: Change happens, often brutally so. Life can be the most powerful enemy you will ever face. Bonnie and Kim never saw eye to eye, but now as adults they share something they never expected. Hearts entwined in ways never imagined. One will cling to the hope for a better tomorrow. While the other seeks to reclaim what was lost. Can a certain blond help them? Can he even help himself?
1. Chapter 1

**STOP-WARNING-STOP **

Hi there. I just wanted to say that unless you've read the great story named "Ron's Diner" by Desslock3 you won't know what in the hell is going on in this story. I highly advise you go read it right now if you haven't. Not only do you need to read it first as I said to even start to know what's going on in this story, but it's just an awesome story on it's own. Desslock3 has graciously honored me with permission to not only carry on the story of "Ron's Diner", but put my own spin on where things go from where the original story left off. I hope that I can bring half as much creativity and talent to my story as Desslock3 did the original. With that said here goes my take on what might have happened next. I hope you enjoy the ride.

To give you an idea of the mindset I'm in when I write this story try listening to the song "Cold" by Neffex. I think it sums up things perfectly.

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It was dark out by the time Bonnie and Ronald got back to the small apartment in Lowerton. It had been a day to remember that was for sure Bonnie thought. Nothing could have prepared her for finding out about Ron and Ronald. She still had some questions that she'd never gotten any real answers about, but that could wait for now. All that mattered was that she was here, in this little sanctuary from the rest of the world, with Ronald. Her Ronald, the man who had so easily and suddenly filled her life with hope. Would it be easy? No of course not. She'd learned the hard way that life didn't care what you wanted from it, so you had to work for everything you wanted and if by some miracle you got it, well you better hold onto it with both hands.

Unlocking the door, Ronald bowed. "Your castle m'lady." in a very poor British accent.

Bonnie rolled her eyes, but gave him a little pat on the head as she entered. "Goofball."

Following her inside, Ronald sported a lopsided grin. "Just remember I'm your goofball."

She turned to face him, tugging lightly on some of her hair nervously. "You sure you still want that?"

Ronald finished locking the door, then closed the space between them, taking her hand in his. "How can you even ask me that?" he said softly, his other hand tucking the loose strands of her hair behind her ear. "If anything I'm the one who should be asking you that? I mean who wants to settle for a copy right?"

Bonnie pressed herself against him, sliding her arms around him so she could feel his warmth. She inhaled deeply, letting his scent fill her. "This isn't a copy. I've never felt anything like this in my life." tilting her head up to so that her chin rested on his chest she smiled sweetly. "This is as real as I've ever felt and it's all because of you."

Ronald was struck speechless. No small feat.

Bonnie went on, her voice thick with emotion. "I don't care if you're a clone of somebody I used to know. I'm not that Bonnie anymore. She doesn't exist. I've changed so much in the past years that I feel like a completely different person." tears began to slide down her cheeks. "I want to be different. I never want to be her again. So as far as I'm concerned Ronald Stoppable you and I are new people. Both of us are real and we are together and that is what I want. I don't care about what was, I want this...right now...I want us."

Swallowing hard, Ronald wrapped her up in his arms, burying his face in her hair. "You got it. All of it." his voice threatening to crack.

They stood like that for a while, just being together. It was a moment where silent promises were made and heard, from one heart to the other.

And yes it was very real.

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Ron flicked the light on the their bedroom as he and Kim entered. Today had been interesting to say the least.

"Still can't get over the fact that clone boy is hooked up with Bonbon." snickering at the very idea.

Kim was taking off the necklace she'd worn to the Stoppable's, but she paused, turning to look at her husband. "I think they're good for each other. Besides I thought you were happy Ronald found somebody to be with?"

Ron walked over and helped with with the clasp of the necklace before setting it down on the dresser. "Kim nobody is happier about it than me, well ok maybe Ronald is, but still." he took a moment to gather his thoughts. He knew lately he'd been on thin ice with his wife and he so did not want to get another night on the couch. "Yes I'm glad he's got somebody. If nothing else it means he won't try anything with you again."

"He never tried anything with me in the first place." Kim said defensively.

"Whoa amp down babe." he said, planting a quick kiss on her forehead. "I didn't mean it like that, but you know...well the whole pretend to be me thing was a bit much. I mean claiming to be me is one thing, but.."

Kim poked a finger lightly into his chest. "Hey mister it's not like you never made mistakes." her tone was light however and her eyes shown with adoration when she looked up at him. "How many pairs of pants are still unaccounted for these days?"

"Ouch! Low blow Mrs. Stoppable." chuckling as he leaned in to kiss her fully on the lips this time.

She all but purred into his mouth, leaning against him as her arms encircled his neck. Never let it be said that Ron Stoppable didn't know how to kiss!

Once they caught their breath, Kim drew little circles on his chest with a finger. "So...I have a favor to ask." The first signs of a puppy dog pout forming.

Warning bells went off in Ron's head. He knew that look in her eyes. "Something tells me I'm not going to like it." he joked.

Kim pulled him into another kiss, really pouring it on. This time when their lips parted Ron was all but brainwashed. His lips still making kissing motions as Kim looked on with a grin.

"Ron."

"..uh huh..."

"I want you to do something for me."

"...uh huh..."

She took the plunge. "I really want you and Ronald to get along, so can you work on that...for me?"

That snapped him right out of the dreamy autopilot his brain had been on. "That's not something I can do by myself you know. Takes two to tango Kim." There was a definite edge to his voice.

She nodded. "I understand that, but just try ok?"

"I've tried before and look where it got me." he countered.

She reached up to cup his cheek. "It got you me."

He couldn't help the lopsided grin that brightened up his face. "Well when you put it like that." He sighed deeply. "I'm still not sure though. You saw how things were today. I just can't get along with him. I mean, it's not like I don't want to..."

"Really?" Kim just had to point out. "Because it seems that you can't help but take shots at him."

"I don't take shots at him." Ron said defensively as he stepped away from her, moving to sit on the bed to take his shoes off. "Heck I'd say I've more than put up with my share of things. The guy tried to steal you away from me, he's basically weaseled his way into my family, even Rufus and Hana treat him like he really is my brother."

Leaning back against the dresser, Kim folded her arms over her chest. "He didn't weasel his way in. They accepted him. What did you want them to do? Just throw him out on the streets? He had nowhere to go. You remember what those first days were like for Ronald. Global Justice wanted to take him in for research!"

"Well he is a clone created by one of our enemies Kim." Ron all but spat the words. He realized he might have been a bit harsher than he meant to when he saw her reaction. Dropping a shoe to the floor he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Look I'm sorry. It's just a lot to deal with all over again. I mean...everybody calls us brothers, but I don't feel like he's my brother ok. There I said it."

"But he basically is." Kim affirmed, blowing strands of hair away from her face.

Clenching his jaw, Ron shook his head. "No he's not. Maybe it's easy for everybody else to say that and pretend everything is ok, but I can't." Looking at her, he tried to make her understand. "Put yourself in my shoes."

"I've been in your shoes remember." Kim pointed out. "Drakken cloned you, me, and Bonnie once. We had to dissolve them with soda of all things."

Shaking his head again, Ron rested his arms on his knees. "Not the same. Those were just evil look-a-likes. Ronald is on a whole other level. He doesn't just look like me, he has my memories, my...my everything."

She stepped away from the dresser and stopped right in front of him. Gently she began running her fingers through his hair. "He doesn't have your everything. I'm here after all."

Ron pulled her close, his arms around her waist as he pressed his face against her belly. "I know and that makes me happier than you can imagine, but I can't just flip a switch and be ok with him. It's not like I don't want to. It's just...I mean how would you feel if there was a clone of you?"

Kim gave that some thought and she knew she would be none too happy about it at all. Then again that also raised another point, one which she shared. "I guess I'd be as upset as you are, but I'd also have to wonder just how upset my clone was."

Pushing away from her just enough so that he could look up at her face, Ron questioned, "What do you mean?"

"Think about it." she said, brushing rebellious strands of his blond hair away from his eyes. "Ronald wakes up alone in a world where he's a copy. Every memory he has is from a life belonging to somebody else. Every feeling he has comes from another person. Yes he is a clone of you, but that doesn't make those memories or those feelings any less real to him. Can you imagine what you would do if things were reversed? Put yourself in Ronald's place and ask yourself...What would you have done if you were told you couldn't have me. That we would never be together. That your family wasn't yours, that Hana and Rufus and everything important in your life didn't belong to you anymore."

Her words were heavy and Ron felt them pressing down on him like a ton of proverbial bricks.

"...whoa..." he said in a small voice.

Kim nodded with a little frown. "Sucks doesn't it? I bet you'd still fight for me though because you love me."

Ron nodded, but didn't say anything.

"So can you really blame Ronald? All he wanted was to live the life he felt was his. He wasn't scheming to take your place, he was trying to live his life, the only life he knew."

Ron felt way out of his depth, but still he just couldn't put everything aside. Ok so he felt a little sorry for Ronald now, but that didn't change things, not really. Ronald couldn't have Kim and he couldn't have his life. Ronald was the clone, plain and simple as that. Every time he saw him Ron just had the desire, no the need to make it clear who was the real one and who was the fake. He'd shared his name with Ronald, given him half of his Naco royalties, let him be part of his family and friends...what else did they expect him to do? In Ron's mind he'd been way more than accommodating.

"Look Kim...I get it...I do, but still..." How to get her to understand? "My life was basically hijacked. I had no say in it and I've done everything I can to be understanding, but after how things went down that night at the restaurant...Kim he hit you." The anger in his voice evident.

Kim adjusted his hold on her so that she could sit on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck again. "He didn't hit me. I just put my face in the way of his fist honestly."

"That's not funny Kim."

"Trust me I know." she admitted, laying her head on his shoulder. "Tell me something Ron, did you see his face that night?"

That was an odd question he thought. "Well yeah, I mean I did land a few hits of my own you know."

"That's not what I'm talking about." she admonished softly against his neck. "After Ronald hit me, totally by accident of course, his face...it was like he was hurting so much. I ran to you that night not just because I was worried about you, but because I couldn't bare to look at him any more. There was so much pain in his eyes...the same eyes as yours...it was like seeing you...god this is so hard to explain." she huffed, annoyed that she couldn't get the words to come out right.

Pulling her even tighter against him, Ron held her, placing a small kiss on her cheek. "I think I get it."

"Do you?" she started to cry. "Well can you explain it to me because this sucks...this really sucks Ron."

He began to rock her slowly. "We never really sorted anything out did we?" he said flatly, the day's events starting to take their toll on him. He felt drained and so tired. "We came back from a mission and then later he shows up in my house and then things just got weird."

"Very weird." she added between little sobs.

"Here I am whining about how I feel when it couldn't have been easy for you, or the rents either, but still it's like everybody just wanted things to go back to the way they were...to be normal. So instead of a clone I ended up with a twin brother. Everybody just pretended things were fine, but they aren't fine...they just aren't."

Sniffling, Kim pushed herself back so she could look into his eyes. "What does that mean?"

Ron took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know...I just...its' not like there are rules for this sort of thing. I just know that I'm the real one and it bothers me that he's even out there. That there is another me walking around in the world. Does that make sense?"

She nodded, wiping her eyes. "Yeah it does, but that won't change that he exists. We have to deal with that, because I love you Ron, completely love you, but also...and I don't know how exactly to explain this, but I love Ronald too."

At the sight of his shocked expression she clarified quickly. "Not like I love you! With him it's like, I don't know, like I lost something when he left. He was my friend...is my friend...I mean I hope we can be friends. Gah! I'm rambling."

"You only knew him for like a month Kim, how can he be that important to you?" Ron asked, desperate to understand what his wife was trying to tell him.

"I don't know, but if I did I'd be doing a better job of explaining it than this that's for sure." Wiping at her eyes again, she took a shaky breath. "I know Ronald is the clone. I know you are the real Ron. I know it in here." she said placing a hand over her heart. "But...something felt wrong when he left. Something just wasn't right. I don't know how else to say it. Not having Ronald around for over a year was more upsetting than I ever admitted."

Ron felt sick to his stomach, his insides twisting into knots. "You missed him huh?"

Nodding, Kim started to cry all over. "Yeah I did. I missed my best friend."

Like a slap across his face, but with words. "Kim...I'm your best friend."

Taking a deep breath, trying to calm down, Kim looked at him with bright eyes. "That's exactly what he said. He said he couldn't be my best friend anymore. Do you get what that means? He felt it too...Ronald thought of me as his best friend. I don't understand that any more than you do. It's like...like, I have you and I love you and I'm with you in every way a man and a woman can be together and we have a life together and a future we're working towards and one day a family of our own, but...but...something still felt stolen from me when he left. I had everything I wanted, but it still felt like my best friend in the whole world walked away that night."

Ron couldn't follow her logic at all. What did she mean her best friend had left? He'd never gone anywhere. He was right here. "That doesn't make any sense. He's not me...I'm real...he's not me."

She cradled his face with both hands, touching her forehead to his. "I know that baby, I swear I do, but I can't change how I feel."

Swallowing thickly, Ron managed to force the next words out. "So...he means...that much to you." It wasn't a question.

"I know I want to be his friend and I know I love him, but not like I love you. I love him as a best friend, as somebody like a brother to me, as somebody I'd trust with my life. I know that sounds crazy, but after seeing him again and being around him again...I just can't put it into words."

"You don't have to." he said softly, hiding his face against her neck. "Nobody should have to go through this. It's not fair."

On that they both agreed.

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Bonnie woke up alone in the bed, still fully dressed save for her shoes and socks. Reaching out she touched the other side of the bed and found it held no warmth. Ronald must have been up for some time. Glancing at the clock on the nightstand told her it was 2:33am. Sitting up she favored her midsection, a hand covering the spot where the bandage hid under her dress. The nurse had warned her she'd be sore and she was right. Not to mention all the excitement from before couldn't have been good for her. Taking a bottle of pills she'd been prescribed for pain, she shook out two and downed them dry. After putting the bottle back on the nightstand she pushed off the bed and padded on bare feet to the bedroom door. Opening it she entered the only other room of the apartment aside from the small bathroom.

Ronald was sitting on what passed for a couch, bottle of half empty beer in hand, his head resting back, eyes closed. At first Bonnie thought he might have fallen asleep like that, but then he spoke without opening his eyes.

"Hey there beautiful." his voice sounded as tired as she felt.

Moving to the couch she gingerly lowered herself down so she could cuddle up close to him. Ronald welcomed her to him by laying an arm over her shoulders. She let her head rest against him and sighed contentedly. This felt so right.

"Couldn't sleep?" she asked the obvious question.

"Well..." he began, then took a swig of his beer. "...you'd think laying next to a hot woman in your own bed would make it so easy to fall asleep, but it so does not." his lips spreading into a big grin.

"Aww poor baby." she teased. "Patience is a virtue you know."

"Patience smatience." he snorted. "You're not the one who's dying to lose his virginity with his woman." taking another swig of the beer.

Bonnie almost came right off the couch in shock. "Virginity!"

Opening his eyes, Ronald rolled his head to the side and gave her a goofy smile. "Yup." he said, making the p sound pop.

"Wait a minute there mister." brows furrowed deep. "What are you talking about? There's no way. I mean you and Kim were..." she faltered as understanding dawned on her. "...oh...OH!"

Tipping the beer bottle her way, Ronald chuckled. "We have a winner."

Bonnie still couldn't believe what he was saying. "You're serious?"

"What, you think guys like to brag about being virgins?" he said with that lopsided grin she was starting to adore so much. "I never got to be with Kim, despite any memories up here." he said, tapping the side of his head with the tip of the bottle. "And I never even looked at another woman until now so..."

"Ok hold up there buddy." Now Bonnie had something to talk about for sure. "Just what memories of Kim do you have?"

Making sure to take an extra long swig of the beer this time, Ronald let out a long breath before explaining. "Well I do have all Ron's memories so..."

Holding up a hand to stop him, Bonnie shook her head. "Never mind. I don't want to know."

"They're just memories. They never happened to me. Which just makes my life all the more complicated." his tone exasperated.

"I'll bet." she conceded, but she still didn't like the idea of it on principle.

"Of course it can't be easy for you either." Ronald said with a hint of mischief in his dark brown eyes. "I mean how will you show your face in public considering our age difference?"

She looked at him, confusion written all over her face. "What does that have to do with anything. There might be a few months difference, but I don't see how that's a big deal."

He leaned down and whispered in her ear. "I'm only a little over a year old technically."

When she gasped in shock he couldn't help but laugh long and loud. Bonnie on the other hand just started jabbing him in the side with her fist.

"Not funny pal!" but soon she was laughing too.

"How does it feel to be a cougar?" he teased between peals of laughter.

"Well don't you dare expect me to change your diapers." she retorted, trying to catch her breath. She winced when a bolt of pain raced across her midsection.

Ronald caught her flinch and quickly set the beer down on the coffee table, his hand moving to cover the spot where he knew the bandage was.

"I'm sorry!" he said in a panic.

She sucked in a breath, then seemed to relax. "Don't worry about it. It's nothing they didn't warn me about. I mean I'm very lucky the incision was so small. They had to open me twice, but I'll barely have a scar to show for it."

With his hand hovering over the spot, not daring to really touch her, Ronald looked at her with worried eyes. "We have to be more careful till you're all better."

Bonnie put her hand over his and pressed it down until she felt the warmth from his touch spreading through her. "Yes, but after that..." she left it unsaid, but her teal eyes promised so much with just a glance.

Ronald beheld the woman next to him with all the awe of a man facing the reality of his fortune. "I am one lucky dude." he exhaled a breath he didn't even know he'd been holding.

She tapped the end of his nose with a finger lightly. "Don't you forget it buster."

Relaxing beside her he nuzzled her neck. "I'm sure you won't let me."

"Not a chance." she affirmed.

"Good." his breath giving her goosebumps where it passed over her skin. "I want you to remind me every hour of every day for the rest of my life."

Even as the last words left his lips, Ronald tensed.

"What's wrong?" she asked, picking up on his sudden shift.

"It's nothing." he lied.

Turning to face him on the couch, she took hold of his chin with one hand and locked eyes with him. "Ronald don't lie to me. Not ever again. I won't stand for that. We tried the whole keeping secrets thing and it didn't work. We shouldn't do that anymore. What we have is too important to me to risk it, so I'd rather just be honest with each other ok?" her teal eyes shown bright even in the dim light from the lamp behind him. "Please."

How could he refuse her? "Alright." he said earnestly.

"Good. Now what's wrong?"

"Something just occurred to me and it sorta freaks me out." his admission came with a heavy sigh. "When I said for the rest of my life it suddenly dawned on me that I don't know how long that will be."

She patted his cheek softly. "None of us do, that's sorta how life works."

"No I mean...Bonnie I'm a clone and what if that means I don't have a normal life span? What if I'll only live a few years or something?"

She could see her own sudden fear reflected in his brown eyes. This was a terrifying concept. "Um, ok...wow." she fumbled with words. "But before at your parent's they said you and Ron had been tested, that you were basically identical."

He nodded. "Yeah, but so what? It's not like there is a special clone test that says...Oh hey you're going to live a normal life."

This wasn't something she wanted to even consider. "But there's nothing wrong with you. You and Ron are the same and that means you'll live a normal life just like him."

A rueful smile on his lips, Ronald shook his head once. "We aren't exactly the same actually."

"What do you mean?" the fear in her voice warring with the denial.

"Well for one I can't use any MMP."

"MM-what?" she asked in complete ignorance.

"Sorry, I forget not everybody knows about that." he said before explaining. "MMP stands for Mystical Monkey Power. It's a...well a mystical power based around monkeys that Ron was given from these old idols during a mission and it allows him to use the Lotus Blade. It's part of a prophecy about being the Chosen One that will one day save the world yadda yadda yadda." he finished with a little wave of his hand.

Sitting up straighter, Bonnie braced a hand to her temple, feeling a headache coming on. "That sounds completely insane."

"Sure does." he agreed.

Taking a few moments to process things before speaking, Bonnie tried to put things into perspective. "Ok so Ron has this power that lets him use something called a Locust Blade-"

"Lotus Blade."

"Whatever...and he's meant to be this Chosen One and save the world some day? That makes him what, Neo from the Matrix?"

"Just without all the geeky computer stuff, but in a nutshell yep."

Bonnie gave him the stink eye. "Any other secrets I should know about today?"

Making a big show of thinking about it, Ronald shrugged. "I'm Jewish, but I love bacon."

"Not funny Ronald." she deadpanned.

"But I do love bacon!" he proclaimed.

"That's not what I meant and you know it. I mean it was bad enough I had to find out the whole clone story the way I did and now you're telling me that there's super powers involved and a save the world prophecy to worry about? Can't a girl catch a break?"

Ronald could see her point, but he did his best to console her. "Hey you don't have to worry about any of that. Like I said, I can't use MMP and that means I'm not the Chosen One and so I don't have to save the world."

That did make her feel a little better, but not much. "So what else is different between you and Ron?"

"Hmm, well like I told you before I've always gone by Ronald as far as my memories are concerned. Those are the big things. Other than that we have a few personality quirks that don't match up. Like for instance I learned recently that Ron doesn't call Kim KP, but I do."

"That's odd." she said, then something clicked for her. "You know what I just thought about?"

"What?"

"At your parent's Ron called me Bonbon."

"So? He's always called you that?" he shrugged.

"Yeah but you haven't, not even once." pointing a finger at him. "Don't you think that's a little weird considering the two of you are supposed to have the same memories and all that? Ron doesn't call her KP and you don't call me Bonbon, but you call her KP and he calls me Bonbon?"

Ok he admitted to himself that was a little odd. "It's sorta like we're mixed up huh?"

"This whole situation is mixed up if you ask me." Bonnie felt like Alice in Wonderland at this point.

"So you want me to start calling you Bonbon?"

She gave it a moment's thought, but shook her head. "No, it just doesn't feel right when you say it."

"Ouch! Harsh." putting a hand over his heart in mock pain.

She shoved him a little. "Get over yourself."

"Trust me, I've been trying to do that for more than a year now, but that prick just keeps annoying me even now." he said grinning.

Bonnie turned things back to the more serious topic. "You know a lot of smart people, isn't there anyone you can talk to about things if you're worried? You know, about having a normal life and all that?"

"Honestly I've never given it much thought till right now." In truth he'd never had a reason to feel like his life was his own till just now. It wasn't until Bonnie came into it and gave him something to live for, to truly live for, that he'd begun worrying about anything but the past. It was the reason he couldn't sleep. He'd been sitting here nursing a beer and pondering some things. Mainly an idea that he'd claimed to have given up on, but really hadn't. Was he the real Ronald Dean Stoppable or not?

"Ronald I can tell you're thinking about something."

"Hey no mind reading until our third anniversary." he joked.

"Ronald." the tone of her voice made it very clear she wanted and expected to know.

"Amp down, I surrender." waving an imaginary white flag around in one hand.

"Spill." Bonnie commanded, the old Queen B making an appearance.

"Remember when I said I was just fine being Ronald and him being Ron?" he began.

"But you aren't are you, not really?" she finished for him.

"No I'm not." With a growl he sat back hard against the couch. "I keep telling myself that, but deep down I know I'm not ok with it. No matter what anybody says I feel like I'm the real one. It's not just me wanting to be the real one, it's more than that. I honestly think, even after everything, that I'm Ron Stoppable. I'm the real deal...and it's driving me crazy little by little that I can't prove it. I mean I've stuffed it down and ignored that nagging part of me that demands to be acknowledged. I've done that for so long that it's like some twisted habit I can't turn off, but I just...gah!" throwing an arm over his face in frustration.

Bonnie curled up against him, her head on his chest, tucking her legs under her. She understood far better than he knew. The years spent on the streets had stripped away almost everything she thought she knew of herself. It had almost killed her in fact. The person she was now, sitting here with him, was not the girl she'd been all those years ago. In a way she was a whole different person, but she still had the memories of her past, but to her it had all happened to somebody else. Being on the cheer squad. Top of the food chain. The best clothes, a car, a big house. All that was another life, another her, another world even. She understood what it was like to be somebody and have the life of another person stuffed inside your head.

"Ronald I get it, I do. You want to know the truth no matter what. You say you can be happy with me and I believe you, but I don't think you're happy with yourself, not as things stand now." Placing a hand on his stomach she spread her fingers wide, feeling him tense beneath his shirt. "Listen...I left things undone with my friend Molly. There were things I should have said and things I shouldn't have, but I never did right by her...or me. I kept putting it off because I was too scared and ashamed to face her and now I'll never get that chance. She's gone and I won't ever be able to tell her all the things I wanted to. I hate that and I hate myself for causing it, but I'll have to get past that. I have to accept what I've done and forgive myself in time. Only you can't do that can you?"

She didn't have to look up to know he was shaking his head.

"I thought so. This isn't something as simple as my problem. This is the core of who you are. It's a question that might be impossible to answer, but you have to try anyway."

Ronald covered her hand with his. "How do you know me so well already?"

"I'm just good like that." a little smile on her lips.

"So what do I do about it?"

Bonnie twisted so that she was looking up at him. "Whatever you have to, but get this through that hard head of yours right now. No matter what, I'm going to be right there with you every step of the way."

"That means the world to me." and he meant it through and through.

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	2. Chapter 2

Tara nudged the refrigerator door shut with her hip, a can of soda in each hand, then stepped from the kitchen into the living room. Which in the small apartment of Ronald's meant she took about five steps from one side of the room towards the other.

"You sure you're ok with baby sitting me?" Bonnie ask, accepting one of the sodas as Tara took a seat on the couch beside her.

"Sure am." the cheerful blonde smiled.

Bonnie traced the top of the cold can with her thumbs, holding it with both hands in her lap. She wanted to be at the diner with Ronald, but he'd been insistent that she stay home and take it easy. She had also wanted to argue with him, but her incision still felt like she'd gone a few rounds with Mike Tyson.

Tara watched as her once best friend was lost in thought. She saw the little frown that pulled her lips down and was about to say something when her cell rang out. Sitting her soda on the table, she shot Bonnie a knowing grin.

"I wonder who that could be?"

Bonnie couldn't hide the little smile that replaced her frown.

Glancing at the caller ID just to be sure, Tara swiped a finger across the screen and put the phone to her ear. "Hello you've reached the Bonnie call center. Tara speaking."

"Am I that bad?" Ronald questioned with a wry smile neither of the ladies could see.

"Hmm, let's see." Tara checked the time. "It's a little before noon and you've called to check in on her about six times so far. What do you think Romeo?" she teased.

Bonnie covered her mouth to stifle a laugh that she knew would leave her in pain. She'd really pushed herself after the surgery, scratch that, two surgeries. She still couldn't believe she'd slapped her mother! The memory of that was still foggy due to the pain meds she'd been on at the time, but if what Ronald had told her was even half true, she'd really laid into her mother big time.

"Here Bonnie, please talk to him so he can get back to work." offering her phone, Tara reached for her soda.

Taking the phone, Bonnie cradled it to her ear. "Sir you should know I have a boyfriend. You can't keep calling me like this." she giggled just a little despite herself.

"Har Har." Ronald quipped. "How are you feeling?"

"The same I was about an hour ago you big goofball." rolling her eyes at Tara as she said it.

"Hey I can't help it if I'm worried about you." he offered in hopes of placating her.

"Then you should have let me go with you." not really upset, but still wanting him to get the point that she was a big girl who could take care of herself, even if she did enjoy him worrying about her.

"Not a chance. You need to relax. You've been through a lot in a short time. The diner isn't going anywhere. It will be right here waiting on you and your miracle accounting skills."

A pout tugging her bottom lip out, Bonnie huffed. "I know, but that doesn't mean I have to like it."

Tara piped in, "Hey you better not be talking about spending time with me."

Ronald chuckled. "Oh you're in trouble now."

Bonnie took a moment to stick her tongue out at Tara, then ignored the face the blonde shot back at her. "Get back to work goofball. The lunch rush is about hit you."

"Oh crap! You're right. Gotta go. See you when I get home."

"Later you."

Ending the call, Bonnie handed the phone back to Tara and leaned back into the couch, a little smile on her lips.

Tara popped the tab on her soda and took a long sip. "Looks like somebody is happy."

Nodding slowly, Bonnie couldn't argue with that. "Shocking as it is...I am." Rolling her head to the side towards her friend. "I mean, is it perfect? No. Do I want it? Hell yes."

"Still surprising that you and Ronald would end up together though." Tara admitted as she played with the end of her pony tail.

"Tell me something Tara."

"Sure."

"When did you find out about Ron and Ronald?" Bonnie had been wondering that ever since Ronald had asked Tara if she'd come sit with her today.

The former cheerleader looked up, tapping her chin in thought. "Hmm, let's see. I guess it was right after he moved to Lowerton."

"After that fight where he accidentally hit Kim?"

Tara nodded. "Yep. He called me up one day out of the blue and asked if I'd meet up. Said he needed to talk to somebody."

Bonnie lifted a brow. "And Josh was ok with you going to meet up with your old high school crush?"

Tara blushed just a little, swatting Bonnie's knee lightly. "He was completely fine with it I'll have you know. Josh trusts me. We have a good thing and I'd never do anything to ruin that."

Opening her own soda, Bonnie tilted the can towards Tara. "That's something I want to hear some time. Just how you and Josh ended up married."

"Deal!" Tara affirmed with a big smile.

She hasn't changed at all Bonnie thought. Tara was still a ray of sunshine. God she'd missed that in her life these past years. She'd been a fool to lose touch with her. There was no telling how different things would have turned out of she'd only reached out to the people who really cared about her. Then again she might not have met Ronald so maybe everything was for the best.

Tara went back to her story. "So I met him at a coffee shop not too far from our place and he tells me this crazy story about clones and junk. At first I thought it was just Ron being Ron, you know wild theories and all that, but he told me to call Kim if I didn't believe him. So I did and she was upset and wanted to talk to Ronald, but he didn't want to talk to her."

"I'll bet." Bonnie agreed. After learning about the clone story herself, she'd been overwhelmed to say the least. Everything about dinner at the Stoppables was a series of rushed events that had left her feeling dizzy. Even thinking back to talking with Kim and crying on her shoulder felt like a day dream. Who would ever think that the two of them would be having a heart to heart about the men they were involved with? Not to mention that those men would be twins, er clones, well one clone...ok yeah this was a big mess.

"So yeah Kim pretty much confirmed everything."

Bonnie furrowed her brows. "And that was enough for you? Kim says it and you just run with it?"

Tara shrugged. "Well it was a little more than that, but pretty much yeah. I mean once I got off the phone with her I noticed that Ronald didn't exactly strike me as the Ron I'd known for so long."

Sitting up straight Bonnie nodded eagerly, sitting her soda aside. "See I get what you're saying. Once I saw the two of them together I started getting that too."

Chewing the inside of her cheek, Tara leaned in close. "Like how Ronald seems taller than Ron even though they are the same height."

"Yes!" Bonnie exclaimed. "I don't know how to explain it, but it's like Ronald stands straighter or something. I mean Ron's grown up and isn't the slouch he was, but he just seems shorter to me."

"Me too, but don't tell him I said that." Tara giggled.

Bonnie grinned. "It's so weird. When I was around Ron it was like I knew that was the guy I went to school with. That's the guy I called the loser, but with Ronald it's just not the same. He says he remembers me being a bitch to him, but it doesn't feel like he's the guy. Well not anymore. When I first met him yeah, but now after learning about everything I can't see him that way."

Nodding her understanding, Tara pointed out. "Like the whole diner thing. Ronald making a living cooking while Ron is the assistant coach for Middleton High. He's working under Barkin! I would never have seen that coming in a million billion years."

"No way!" Bonnie gasped. "Ron is part of the athletics department at our old high school?"

"Yeppers. He was the star running back our senior year after all."

Smacking her forehead lightly, Bonnie leaned back, hoping some of the soreness around her abdomen would ease off. "How could I have forgotten that?"

Reaching out, Tara lay her hand on her friends leg. "It's understandable. You've been through a lot."

Not wanting to dredge any of that up right now, Bonnie turned the conversation back. "So you and Ronald became friends after that I take it?"

"Oh yeah. At first it was a little weird cause you know he looked so much like Ron cause of the whole clone thing. I mean he didn't always like being the clone, some times he'd be really depressed and claim he was the real one."

"What do you think Tara? Who is the real one?" Bonnie asked, eager to know.

"Well..." pulling her pony tail over her shoulder and twisting it around her fingers. "I mean Kim married Ron so he has to the real one. If anybody would know it has to be Kim."

Thinking that over it did make sense to Bonnie. Kim and Ron had been best friends since, well forever.

"Can I ask you something right back?" Tara leaned in again, her big blue eyes searching Bonnie's. "Does it bother you that Ronald isn't the real one?"

Bonnie didn't hesitate. "Nope."

Blinking in surprise and then throwing her arms around Bonnie, Tara smothered her in a hug. "I'm so happy to hear that!"

"Ack! Tara...wounded woman here!" but Bonnie was smiling none the less.

Practically leaping back, Tara was beside herself with worry. "Did I hurt you? I hurt you didn't I?" her voice full of concern.

Waving her off, Bonnie screwed up her lips in a mock grimace. "Please I'm tougher than that."

"Whew!"

"So why does that make you so happy Tara?"

The blonde squirmed a bit, but decided to be honest with her friend. After all Bonnie and Ronald were together now so it should be ok.

"It's just that I'm so happy he finally has somebody that like's him for just being him you know. I don't know if I said that right, but oh well." bracing an elbow on the back of the couch, she lay her head on her arm. "Ronald was doing ok here in Lowerton. He got the diner and he really put a lot of work into it. Then Kim and Ron got married and after that he, well he wasn't in a good place. He started drinking. Drinking a lot."

Bonnie tried to picture Ronald drunk and was saddened to find that it was all too easy. Her time on the streets had really stripped away her concepts about the world.

"It got so bad that once he showed up at his parents place drunk and really got into it with Ron. They had another fight, but this time Ron wiped the floor with him. I got the details from Monique and she said Ron used some kind of Kung Fu or something. Really did a number on him. After that Ronald basically lived in a bottle."

"What changed?" Bonnie gently prodded, nudging Tara's leg with her own.

"Well I tried to talk to him, but he was stubborn. I guess one day he just decided to climb out of the bottle and rejoin the living." sighing, Tara shifted on the couch so that she was leaning back into it. "He just went back to the Ronald I'd come to know. Went back to working at the diner and did his best to put everything behind him."

Listening to what Tara had said gave Bonnie a lot to think about. There was something nagging at the back of her brain, but she just couldn't grasp it yet. Ronald needed closure, he needed to sort out all this clone stuff once and for all. She didn't have any idea how to help him do that, but she'd find something.

Some how Bonnie was going to make Ronald happy. It was as simple as that.

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Ronald pushed the mop bucket into the back of the diner and left it next to the hose by the rear door. Stretching he felt a few pops in his back and sighed. Another day of hard work done. Pulling his apron off and tossing it into the towel bin he stifled a yawn. Checking his watch told him it was almost nine. Time to head home.

Doing one last check of things he moved into the front of the diner. One by one he pulled the shades down for each of the large windows that made up the front of the diner. Once that was done he pulled his old brown leather coat on and headed for the door when a knock on the glass drew his attention.

Standing outside in the cold night air was none other than Kim, pulling her long coat tight around her against the wind. Ronald unlocked the door and held it open for her.

"Wasn't expecting this." he commented as she hurriedly entered the diner.

"It's freezing out there!" she said through chattering teeth.

Locking the door again, Ronald turned. "Come on. I'll put on some coffee."

Moving past her he slapped one of the stools at the counter and went around behind it to start a fresh pot. Kim slid onto the stool, rubbing her arms to warm them.

"How is it so cold and Winter isn't even really here yet?" she demanded crossly.

Leaning his hands on the counter, Ronald smirked. "Looks like the wind picked up too."

Snatching up a metal napkin dispenser Kim looked at her reflection. Her hair looked like it's been run through a blender. "So not my best look." she admitted with a groan as she began to comb her fingers through her fiery tresses.

"So I'd ask what brings you by, but the better question is how did you know where this place was?" Ronald had made it clear in the past that his diner was off limits to certain people. One of them being the woman who'd broken his heart.

When she looked at him her eyes betrayed the anxiety she was feeling. "Well I tried doing a search for Ronald's Diner but nothing came up and then I tried all kinds of combinations of Ronald's whatever and the few places I did find weren't yours so..."

He gave a snort of a chuckle. "Wade."

"Wade." she admitted with a sheepish little smile.

"Why am I not surprised?"

"Well you could try naming your place something other than The Diner for starters." testing the waters with a little banter.

"I like it. Simple, to the point. It is a diner after all. Besides why would I call it Ronald's Diner?"

She looked at him for a second as if he'd grown two heads. "Your name is Ronald...and this is your diner...so ergo Ronald's Diner." When he only stared at her she threw up her hands. "Oh come on you used to always put your name on everything. You wanted to open a high class restaurant called Chez Ron and-"

"That wasn't me Kim." his tone flat.

She clamped her mouth shut so hard her teeth clicked. Way to bumble that one Possible she thought angrily to herself.

"I'm sorry." she offered meekly.

Standing he crossed his arms, looking down at her where she sat. After a few seconds he huffed. "Don't worry about it."

Looking anywhere but at him, she took in the little diner for the first time. It had a cozy old fashioned feel and she had to admit that she liked the random collection of things plastered on the walls and shelves near the ceiling. It was like stepping back in time into one of those pictures with hot rods and waitresses on skates.

Watching her absorb the place, Ronald felt a tiny swelling of pride. It wasn't much, but this place was his and his alone. Well, maybe not alone anymore he thought as images of Bonnie filled his mind.

"I like this place Ronald." feeling the need to use his name this time.

"Thanks." checking his watch again. "So now I know how you got here. Want to tell me why?"

She got the distinct impression this might have been a mistake coming here. She'd wanted to talk to him like they had the other day at Bueno Nacho. That had been nice and she wanted her friend back, even if they couldn't be best friends.

"I just wanted to talk." Boy this was a far cry from the days when she felt like she could do anything. Why was it so hard to talk to him?

"Uh huh. About what?" Was she squirming he wondered? She could not be squirming on that stool like a little girl waiting outside the principal's office. Holy cow she was!

"Promise not to get mad?" she asked with the hint of a pout.

Averting his eyes, Ronald turned to check on the coffee. "Not a chance. I reserve the right to get mad in my own diner thank you very much."

Crestfallen, Kim forged ahead any way. "Well I wanted to talk about some things. Things that never really were talked about, not really if you ask me. The kind of things that should have been talked about a long time ago, before things got so messed up and...and...and I'm rambling." sitting up straight she frowned. "I don't ramble."

Ronald turned back around and slid a mug of coffee across the counter towards her. "Here drink this. It helps with the rambling, trust me I know." Taking his own coffee and walking back around the counter to hop onto a stool next to her.

Kim took hold of the mug with both hands, enjoying the warmth of it before taking a swallow of the dark brew. She hummed happily as the coffee did its job and she began to feel less like a human popsicle.

"This is so good!" Cutting her eyes over to him above the rim of her mug. "How can you make coffee this good that fast?"

Wiggling the fingers of one hand in the air. "It's magic." he said, taking a sip from his mug.

"So not fair." she mused as she enjoyed another sip.

"Come on it's not like you don't have Ron to make you coffee whenever you want." twisting on the stool so he could lean back against the counter.

Kim sighed just a little. "Yeah I do and he does. Look can we not talk about Ron right now?"

Warning bells went off in Ronald's head. "You want to have coffee with your husbands clone and not talk about him? Not going to lie KP that sounds a bit dodgy."

Resting her mug on the counter she closed her eyes. Her fingers tapping the sides of the ceramic container. "Ok that sounded bad huh?"

"Lil bit." taking another sip of his coffee before turning his head towards her. "Just come out and say what's on your mind."

She was quiet for a bit, just sitting there, her fingers gripping the mug tightly now. Ronald was beginning to wonder if she'd heard him when he saw the first tear drops hit the counter in front of her. Turning to face her completely he set his own mug aside and reached out to touch her shoulder.

"KP what's wrong?" Her not wanting to talk about Ron and now crying. If that prick had hurt her he'd beat the shit out of him.

"I'm fine. Sorry, just give me a minute." her voice sounded small.

Pulling his hand back he did just that. Resting an arm on the counter while she gathered herself. After a few sniffs and wiping her eyes with a napkin she sucked in a deep breath and let it out in a whoosh.

"So not how I wanted this to go down." she admitted with a nervous chuckle.

He tested the waters. "Look I know I'm the last person who should go poking his nose into this, but...is everything ok with you and Ron?"

Her laughter was the last thing he expected. Folding the napkin she dabbed at her eyes, then smiled at him. "Everything is great with Ron. Wonderful in fact."

Frowning, Ronald tapped a finger on the counter. "So you just show up here and say you don't want to talk about Ron and then start crying, but everything is wonderful? You see how I'm confused right?"

Oh god he must have gotten the wrong idea! "I'm sorry Ronald." lowering her head a bit. "I keep saying that don't I?"

Holding up a finger and thumb slightly apart he gave a lopsided grin. "Just a little yeah."

"Sorry about that." not able to stop herself.

"Little bit more now." he teased.

She turned her face towards him, her hair falling over her shoulder to touch the counter. The corners of her mouth turned up in a smile and she began to laugh again. "How can you do that? How can you make me feel better about making a fool of myself?"

Resting his hand on the counter with a shrug, he tilted his head to the side. "Nothing to it. Though it helps that you are making it easy for me to mock you."

Reaching out she playfully slapped his hand. "Shut up."

"I'd say make me, but I don't want you to turn your legendary sixteen styles of Kung Fu on me." grinning all the more as he said it.

Turning serious all of a sudden, Kim swiveled to face him. Their knees touched briefly and a tense silence filled the diner. She broke it with a question.

"Are you happy?"

Talk about shifting gears! Ronald cleared his throat and took a quick sip of his coffee before answering. "I'm getting there." his tone somber.

"I'm happy." Kim offered, though she was staring down at her own hands where they rested on her bent knees, her boots braced on the stool. "I've got a great job. A house. Married the man of my dreams. I've saved the world a few times too, so yeah I'm happy."

Ronald did his best not to get upset as she went on. What was the deal here? He should be home with Bonnie by now, in fact she was most likely wondering where he was. Tara had most likely gone home by now and since his apartment didn't have a phone he had no way of calling to let her know he was going to be late. Why was he sitting her listening to Kim spout off about how happy she was when he could be at home with Bonnie anyway?

He was about to say he had better things to do, but her next statement brought him up short.

"I'm happy with my life, but Ronald my life just doesn't feel right without you in it." her voice barely more than a small mewling sound as fresh tears began falling from her eyes.

He was so taken that all he could manage was to say, "What?"

Kim picked at the nail of one thumb, using it as an excuse not to look up at him. "I can't explain it. I know I sound crazy ok. I know. It's just...I didn't know it till I talked with you the other day. Spending time with you brought something out that I don't know how to deal with."

"KP not going to lie, but this is sounding way worse than that misunderstanding from before. Might want to clear this up, like right now." saying he was on edge was an understatement.

She was screwing up again. God why was this so hard? "Nothing like that. I'm not here to profess my love for you."

Letting out a sigh of relief, Ronald sank back against the counter, letting his head fall back. "Thank god."

She smirked, knowing her next words were going to do a number on him. "I mean I do love you."

He nearly fell off the stool. "What the hell?" glaring at her as he righted himself.

Despite her tears, she smiled. "I'm just not in love with you."

"Damn it KP!" Ronald was just about done with whatever all this was. "Look I'm tired and Bonnie is waiting on me so if you're done playing games I'd really like to go home."

"I'm serious." her voice almost pleading. "I miss you Ronald. I didn't know how much till the other day. I miss my best friend."

He was starting to get angry now. Pointing a finger at her. "I told you I can't be that anymore. That's Ron's job now."

"Listen to yourself Ronald." Kim looked up and the emotions he saw on her face was one of misery and something more he couldn't place. Something between hope and fear. "You say it's his job now, but that implies that at one time it was yours. How can that be?"

"Because at one time we were best friends." he countered.

"No we weren't. Ron and I were, but never you and me. Don't you get it? From the very first day you showed up I never doubted that Ron was the one I'd grown up with. That he was the guy I'd always been friends with."

"Yeah I know KP. I was there. I'm just the clone." standing now he looked down on her with a frown. "Doesn't change the memories in my head though."

Picking up his mug, Ronald moved back around the counter and poured out the remaining coffee before setting the mug in the sink. Taking a moment to gather himself he leaned against the metal basin.

"KP why are you dredging all this shit up again?" a very clear tone of anger in his voice.

She shrank in on herself when he spoke. Just hearing him like that was enough to hurt her. This made no sense. "Because none of us ever really dealt with it."

Gripping the basin till his knuckles turned white, Ronald all but barked his next words. "Well it seemed to get dealt with real quick to me. You guys drug me to your mom's hospital and ran a few tests, drew some blood, took some hair and boom I'm a clone. Neat little package just like all of you wanted."

"We had to know who was the real one, you know that." a sob catching in her throat.

Ronald spun around, his brown eyes livid. "The real Ron is waiting for you at home so why the fuck are you here?" It was all he could do not to scream the words at her.

She flinched and he regretted it instantly. However he held his ground and did not apologize.

"Because everything inside me is screaming that I lost my best friend the day you left and nothing I do or say changes that." Kim declared, looking up at him, her green eyes wet with tears. "Do you have any idea how screwed up that is? I lay down with Ron every night and I know he's the man I love and he's my Ron, the one who has always stood beside me, but then you come back into my life and suddenly something I never knew was missing is tearing me apart. For some reason I can't explain it's you Ronald, it's you. My best friend is standing right in front of me, but he's got my husband's face and I know they aren't the same, but damn it my heart doesn't believe me!" her last words rising in volume as she slammed her hands on the counter.

Slapping a hand to his chest, Ronald approached the counter to stand across from her. "Me huh? The hell does that even mean KP? Do you even hear yourself? You saying you suddenly love me too now? How selfish can you be?"

Shaking her head she stood to face him. "Not like that. Ok I know I'm not making any sense, but...damn it! Ronald all I know is that no matter how much I'm in love with Ron he isn't the one I think about now when I think of my best friend. It's your face, not his."

"We have the same fucking face KP!" shouting now.

Taking a few shuddering breathes she slowly shook her head. "No you don't. You used to, but not any more."

"Oh come off it." he sneered as he all but shoved away from the counter.

"I'm serious." she affirmed with a sniffle. "It's not just the stubble you have or the way your hair is longer than his. It's something else, something I can't put into words. I just feel it. If both of you were standing there wearing the exact same clothes, with the same hair and shaved I'd still know which of you was which. You both feel different to me."

Ronald looked at her, then away, then back again. Was she serious? "Bullshit."

"It's the truth."

He stormed around the counter and came right up to her. "You know what? I don't care. Hear that? I don't care. I'm done with all this and I have better things to be doing. So finish your coffee and get the hell out."

Kim balked. "Ronald I-"

"Damn it!" he snatched her coffee up and threw it into the back of the diner where the mug shattered against something. Kim winced at his sudden outburst, but returned her gaze to him, refusing to back down.

"Ronald I know I hurt you when I chose Ron and I know I have no right to ask you to-"

He shut her up with a clenched fist that he slammed onto the counter to hard it seemed to rattle the entire diner. "No!"

Kim took a reflexive step back, nearly tripping over the stool she'd been sitting on. To his credit Ronald didn't let any tears of his own fall. He was beyond that right now. He was too angry for any of that. Where did she get off coming here and bringing all this up again? Ok she wants to walk down memory lane? Fine, he'd give her a walk to remember.

"Chose Ron...Chose Ron...See that's funny because to me, the way I remember it." closing the distance between them until he was towering over her. "You never chose him over me, you left me for him, and trust me there is a difference."

Shaking her head, Kim explained. "No I was always with Ron. I stayed with him because I'd always been with him."

"Not to me you weren't."

"What are you talking about?"

Ronald looked up at the ceiling and gave a bitter bark of a laugh. "That's what none of you could get through your damn heads. I don't know, maybe you people didn't want to get it. Who the fuck knows."

What was he talking about? "Ronald I don't understand. I want to, but you have to help me."

Closing his eyes Ronald ran a hand through his hair. "Did it never occur to you how things were for me?"

"Of course it did." she declared earnestly. "I know you had memories and feelings that were as real to you as Ron's were. Just because Drakken programmed them into you doesn't mean they aren't real to you."

He glared at her, throwing his arms wide. "Exactly! So can you even imagine how I felt when my fiance wouldn't have anything to do with me? When the woman I loved my entire life and was so close to marrying turns her back on me and runs into the arms of another man. Oh and the best part is he gets to have my fucking life. My fucking family. My fucking friends. To me everything was just gone. No choice. No hope. It was just fucking gone!" He knew he should quit while he was ahead, but his next words tumbled out any way. "For fucks sake KP I still remember what it felt like when we made love, but apparently I've never touched you so how much of a shit storm is that huh?"

The sheer intensity of his words, the bitter anger that his eyes bore into her was more than she could take. Casting her eyes down, Kim finally got it. With understanding came a cruel soul clenching sadness. It wasn't fair. Ronald had gone through so much more than she'd ever thought. Here she was lamenting the loss of her best friend when he'd lost everything that had ever mattered to him. No wonder he hated her, because he had every right to.

Her voice was empty. "There was never a right answer was there?"

Ronald covered his face with a hand, his other clenching into a fist at his side. "Jesus...fuck." Do not cry he ordered himself. Don't you fucking dare.

Kim inched her way to him and with a herculean effort she reached out a hand, her fingers touching his fist. When he didn't shove her away she dared to move even closer and before she could believe it her cheek was resting on his chest. She could hear his heart pounding away inside him. His warmth chased away her fear. His scent drowned her sorrow in a feeling of comforting safety. How could this be happening? How could her best friend be right here? It was insane, but so was the entire situation. Throwing caution to the wind she wrapped her arms around him and cried huge shoulder shaking sobs.

"I'm so sorry." she wailed against him.

The feeling of his arms encircling her, his hand pressing gently against the back of her head was more than she'd dared hope for.

Ronald was so out of his depth now. He wanted to hate her, but he couldn't. He might have moved on, but that didn't mean the scars weren't still there. He knew this woman would always hold a special place in his life. Who was he kidding, she'd hold a place in his heart till the day he died. That's just how first loves worked. You were never truly free of them no matter where you went in life or who you ended up with. Bonnie was quickly taking up all the empty space in the tattered remains of his heart and even though he didn't know what was in store for them he knew he was more than ready to find out. He wanted to be with Bonnie of that there was no doubt in his mind.

They stood there in the diner holding each other. Kim couldn't help but bury her face against him, not caring about her tears or that she was making a mess of his shirt. He was all that was keeping her from falling apart right now. This was what she needed, the missing piece that made her whole. Her best friend in the whole world and she never wanted to let that go again. No matter how insane it may be, this just felt right. Ronald on the other hand was torn right down the middle. Here was the woman he'd thought he'd be with for the rest of his life, but was it truly his life? He still felt that he was the real one, that his life had been stolen from him. Could he really be what Kim claimed she needed from him? Could they even be friends at all? Should they? Something Kim had said before came back to him. There aren't any right answers. No matter what any of them did, somebody was going to get hurt. Things couldn't go back to what they were, they couldn't stay like they are, and moving forward was a dark void that promised even more pain, of that he was sure. He wasn't prepared to tackle any of that right now. What he could do in this moment at the very least was offer the woman who had at one time meant the world to him, some semblance of comfort. So he stroked her hair with care, pressing her to him with his other hand at the small of her back. It felt so familiar holding her like this, but it wasn't meant for him. Not anymore, assuming that is, that it ever had been his. This was only a cruel trick that would melt away the moment either of them spoke. It was a moment held aloft by a spider's thread.

"Thank you." she breathed against him.

Just like that it was gone.

He stepped back from her, hands on her shoulders now. "You'll be ok now right?"

Kim stood dazed, the absence of him already stinging. "Y-Yeah. I'm just...I mean..."

Mustering his trademark lopsided grin, Ronald gave her shoulders a squeeze. "Don't worry about it."

"Sure." Kim wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her coat. "Head in the game." smiling up at him weakly.

"Head in the game." he agreed as a lonely tear made it's way down his face.

Kim wanted to reach out and wipe that sparkling evidence of his sorrow away, but she didn't dare. Things were already too confusing as it was. She had so much to sort out, even more than she did before coming here tonight.

"Wow it's late." Ronald said, glancing at his watch. "Man Ron and Bonnie are going to kill us."

Kim admitted flatly, "Ron doesn't know I'm here. He thinks I'm working late at the hospital." Why hadn't she told him she'd be coming her to talk to Ronald she wondered. It wasn't like she couldn't talk to him if she wanted to. Sure Ron might be a little peeved, but he'd understand. So why hadn't she told him? The question left a bitter taste in her mouth.

Ronald just looked at her much like she was just looking at him.

"Well...then, I guess we...better..." he began, thumbing towards the door.

Nodding, Kim understood. "Get moving. Yep."

She walked around him and to the door. She could feel him behind her, but she didn't look back. She just stood there while he reached past her and unlocked the door, then held it open for her. The cold air was a shock against her wet cheeks. She heard him close and lock the door behind her and then felt him once again as he stood beside her.

They did not look at each other.

"Be safe KP." he said before heading over to his car.

"You too.", but she wasn't sure he even heard her.

Kim stood there on the steps of the diner and it wasn't until Ronald's car had long vanished into the night that she went to her own and slid into the driver's seat. Starting the engine she turned the heat up and sat there staring at nothing.

Without warning she slammed her hands against the steering wheel over and over.

"Damn it! Shit! God damn it!" she screamed.

After getting herself under control she pulled out her phone and dialed home.

Ron picked up on the second ring. "Hey there babe. You heading home?" he cheerfully asked his wife.

Hoping he didn't pick up on anything. "I'll be just a little longer, but then I'm heading home to you."

"Booyah!" Ron cheered.

Kim smiled softly. "See you soon. I love you."

"Love you more babe."

"Bye."

"Only for now, heh." Ron chirped happily.

The call ended, but this was only the beginning.


	3. Chapter 3

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

I just wanted to make two things clear. In this story Bonnie and Junior never got together obviously. Also the Lorwardians never invaded Earth.

Ok back to the show.

**•←←←→→→•←←←→→→•←←←→→→•←←←→→→•←←←→→→•←←←→→→•**

Ronald shut the door behind him and locked it.

"Welcome home you." Bonnie greeted him with a warm hug, stepping into his arms.

"Boy am I gla-" he began but her lips shut him up in the most wonderful of ways.

Bonnie stretched up on her tiptoes, her body pressed firmly against him, arms around his neck, her mouth claiming his completely. Her lips were soft, but demanding and Ronald felt his knees go weak. He took hold of her hips, all but grinding against her as his need for her took control of his better judgment. The tiny gasp of pain she breathed into his mouth was enough to bring him out of the trance so that he pulled back slightly.

"Sorry." his voice soft.

Sucking her lower lip into her mouth, Bonnie savored the remnants of the kiss. She would never grow tired of this, of how he made her feel. She'd die before she let it go. This belonged to her and nobody else.

"Trust me it was so worth it." looking up at him coyly, her teal eyes dark with desire.

He smiled and planted a smaller kiss on her forehead. "Guess this means you missed me, huh?"

Running a hand down his chest she nodded. Her fingers felt how solid he was, how warm even though he'd just stepped out of the frigid night air. Deciding to tease him a little, with a wicked grin he couldn't see, she pressed her cheek to his chest, drawing circles on him with a finger. "Yep. Tara and I practiced that kiss all day so I could get it just right for you."

His sudden intake of breath declared mission accomplished.

"You are pure evil woman." Ronald said in a voice threatening to crack.

Tilting her head up, chin on his chest, she gave him one of the most sultry looks he had ever seen on a woman. "Is that so?" Her hands roamed over his torso, then found their way under his shirt so she could enjoy the feel of his bare skin under her palms. She splayed her fingers wide, wanting to touch as much of him as possible, her hands slowly gliding up his back now. "What did I say that was so evil?"

Ronald hadn't even taken three steps into his apartment, hell he was still wearing his leather jacket, but he was already a prisoner to her whims. Oh he was so going to have his hands full with Bonnie.

"You know damn well what?" brushing loose strands of her dark hair from her face with a finger. His other arm holding her too him. This time he was careful of her incision.

The sultry look was instantly replaced by one of utter innocence. "What Ronald? I don't understand." those beautiful teal eyes of hers captivating him. "Tell me please?" drawing out the please in a way so cute it was criminal.

He was onto her now. "Not a chance. I'm not that dense." grinning down at her.

Oh so he wanted to play it that way did he? Ok, well Bonnie was just fine with that. She's give him a little taste of how well she could play too. "Aww, ok then." raking her nails down his back swiftly so he arched forward with a groan. "I thought the idea of me and Tara making out while you were gone had upset you." pulling her hands from under his shirt she literally purred as she pressed herself against him, making sure her breasts lead the way. "We were so bored. We had to find something to do. I guess things just...got out of hand." her own hand reaching down to cup his crotch gently.

"Bonnie." he growled low in his throat, almost losing control at the feel of her small hand caressing him through his jeans.

She'd meant to tease him, to give him a little taste of things to come, but the moment her hand found the growing hardness trapped inside his pants her plan had backfired. Now she was the one struggling against a desire so profound it frightened her. Oh god he felt huge!

Bonnie all but jumped back from him, pressing a hand to her chest, feeling the thundering beat of her heart. Holy shit that was intense and it had just been flirting! After everything she'd been through how could just flirting with a guy do that to her? Not that she was going to complain one bit.

"Sorry, guess I, um...took it too far." trying to keep her tone level. Reflexively she started fanning herself. Down girl!

Ronald made a big show of taking off his jacket, his throat tight with the carnal desire to tackle her and take her right there on the floor. The only thing stopping him was that he didn't want to hurt her. Oh but the moment she was healed up...oh she was going to pay. Over and over and over. He'd see to that.

Hanging up his jacket, Ronald closed his eyes and got himself under control. Well most of him that is. A certain part still demanded attention as it strained to be free of its denim prison. Something Bonnie didn't fail to notice as he walked past her towards the kitchen area.

There was just no way she thought to herself. He could not be...there was no way it was that...they'd been on the cheer squad together she'd have know if he had something like that hidden away. Right? Wait, no that had been Ron on the cheer squad, not Ronald. Wait they were supposed to be clones or something so that meant Ron should...no stop it. Hold up. Nope, don't even go there girl.

Though she did make a mental note to maybe get up the nerve to have a little Q and A with Kim latter on.

"Have you eaten?" Ronald asked, opening the fridge and taking out a bottle of water.

Clearing her head, Bonnie joined him in the kitchen area, leaning against the short counter that doubled as food prep and a table. "Yeah. Just a sandwich. Not really hungry."

Twisting the cap off the bottle he frowned a little. "I can whip something up for you." taking a drink.

Bonnie watched his throat work as he swallowed, fighting the urge run her tongue over his throat as he did. Oh god what was wrong with her? She'd never been this worked up over a guy, where was it coming from all of a sudden? It was like a wild animal had been let loose inside her. Was this was it was like to actually want to be with somebody in a real way? All her relationships up till now had been hallow things that either elevated her in some way or at the very least kept the status quo back in high school. Then had come her years out in the real world and she didn't count any of those as relationships at all. More like exchanging services for compensation.

Suddenly she felt unclean. Flashes of things she'd done, places she'd done them in, the leering faces of the men, all of it brought the bitter taste of bile up her throat. She was going to be sick! Sprinting across the room, Bonnie was through the bedroom door and into the bathroom just in time to reach the toilet.

Ronald tossed his water into the sink and was right there when the first splashes started. He grabbed her hair, leaning over her as she braced both hands on the toilet's rim heaving. She wretched so hard that she thought she might break in half. It just kept coming until she was empty, but then her body refused to give up and kept clenching, trying to squeeze out every last drop. Every part of her face was dripping something and none of it pleasant.

Ronald kept making soothing sounds, being sure to keep her hair out of her face. He was worried, hell he was scared shitless if he was honest with himself. Was this a complication from the surgery? Was she sick with something else? He needed answers, but he wasn't going to press her right now. He felt so helpless though, but all he could do was be with her.

Bonnie sank to her knees, resting her arms on the rim of the toilet and letting her head fall atop them. Ronald heard her spit a few times and the miserable groan that she let out.

"Well I didn't know me offering to cook would have this effect." he joked, then wanted to smack himself for it. Smooth move dumbass he thought.

Despite how utterly horrid she felt, Bonnie gave a weak chuckle.

"You ok?" the worry clear in his voice.

One of her hands lifted and she gave a shaky thumbs up, still not ready to talk. How could she ever talk about the things she'd done all in the name of getting by? There wasn't a part of her that was clean and she knew it. No amount of scrubbing would ever erase the things she done and allowed to be done to her. Ronald deserved better than her. If he knew the things she'd done...god he wouldn't even be able to look at her.

Standing, Ronald gave her a gentle pat on the back and stepped to the shower. Twisting the knob so the water came on, he tested it with his hand till it was warm enough.

"Let's get you cleaned up." he offered, leaning over to touch her sides carefully to help her stand.

She allowed him to help her up, but refused to look at him. She knew she looked like something out of a horror movie. She could taste and smell the puke. It was everywhere. Up her nose, running down her chin. Great Bonnie, just great. Way to turn a guy off.

Ronald took hold of her shirt and began to slide it upwards. "Arms up." he said.

Without complaint she did as he asked. Not like things could get worse she reasoned. Soon her skin was prickling when exposed to the air, but the bathroom was heating up due to the hot water of the shower. Steam was beginning to fog the mirror even as she tried to catch a glimpse of herself in it.

Despite how miserable she felt, the sudden snap of her bra clasp surprised her. She hadn't even felt him messing with it. She let out an audible sigh of relief when her breasts were free of constriction. Ronald slid her bra off her arms and tossed it into the dirty laundry bin to join her shirt. The crouched down in front of her and began pulling her shorts down. She lifted first one, then the other foot so he could remove them fully.

Bonnie didn't know how to feel in this moment. One the one hand she'd been ready to jump Ronald as soon as he came through the door, then she'd teased him in the most wicked way, only to suddenly remember that she was damaged goods, and the thought of losing him over her past had torn her up so badly it had made her physically ill. Now standing here in the aftermath of all that here he was, her Ronald, showing her nothing but support and being so kind. He was something else. Despite everything from her past, all the memories that demanded she accept that she was no good, he made her feel...well Ronald made her feel important. She knew this was happening fast, but so what. She'd found something amazing in Ronald and she wanted it, even if she wasn't worthy of it.

"Please tell me if you have to puke again. I don't need a shower just yet." he said lightly, trying to keep things from being weird. They were crossing a line they hadn't before and though undressing her should have been sexy as hell, right now he was more worried about her health than any of that. In fact he'd been very sure not to look at her breasts at all so far. It was a battle of will that he was proud of himself for winning.

"...kay..." her voice sounded weak and raw.

Bonnie's mind on the other hand was racing a thousand miles a minute with a sudden realization of what was going on. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. He was taking her clothes off! She was standing in only her panties! This was too much too fast. From grabbing his crotch, to puking her guts up, now this! She couldn't handle it. Nope. She was on autopilot now. It was the only way she could deal with it.

When she felt him reach for her panties that was the last straw.

"I can do it." she said weakly, taking a step back.

Ronald stood, turning away from her as he did. "Sure thing. Sorry." reaching up to scratch the back of his head vigorously.

He was so sweet she thought as she slipped out of her panties and tossed them in with the rest of her clothes. Gingerly she stepped into the tub, bracing against the hot water when it struck her skin. She pulled the shower curtain, sealing her off from the rest of the bathroom.

"Ok, I'm in."

Ronald turned around. "Are you sick or is it something with the surgery?"

"No I'm not sick or anything." came her reply.

Moving to the toilet, Ronald made sure not to look in as he shut the lid and flushed it.

"EEEK!" Bonnie yelped.

Ronald winced. "Sorry! So, sorry!" Smacking himself with the palm of his hand.

"So not cool." she said from the far end of the tub where she had darted in order to escape the sudden temperature change of the water. Slowly she stepped back under the spray. She let the water surround her with its heat. Feeling more human every second. Opening her mouth she filled it with the steaming water and swished it around before spitting it out.

From the other side of the shower curtain Ronald asked, "Is it ok to get your incision wet?"

"Yeah. They told me it was ok if my stitches got wet in the shower, but not to soak in a bath. I just have to be sure to pat them dry when I get out." she explained, almost back to normal now. "Can you pass me my toothbrush and toothpaste?"

A second later his hand appeared in the shower, offering the items to her. "Thanks." taking them she began to brush her teeth like there was no tomorrow.

Ronald took a seat on the toilet lid, resting his elbows on his knee. "So I never knew you were in the Exorcist." teasing her now that she seemed in control of herself.

"Ha ha." she said around her toothbrush. Spitting into the tub she took a deep breath. Oh she was going to be sore very soon. The muscles around her incision were not happy at all. She could not wait for that damn thing to heal up. It might be a small thing, but it was really being a bother.

"Seriously Bonnie, what happened? One second you were fine and then-"

"Please do not remind me. Ugh." her weak groan came from the shower.

"I'm just worried is all."

Bonnie could tell he was worried. He sounded worried. Who could blame him. Still she had to admit that Ronald had earned him some definite boyfriend points with how he handled things. He'd been by her side, making sure she knew he was there, but not being overbearing or demanding. He'd been perfectly wonderful while she tried to puke up her skeleton from the feel of it.

How could she tell him about what had made her sick? Just thinking back on some of the things she'd done was enough to make her gag all over again. Luckily there was nothing left for her to throw up, but it still sucked.

"Ronald I need to ask you something, but you can't ask me to explain ok?" leaning her head against the wall as the hot water beat down on her back.

"I can do that." he said without hesitation.

"Thanks." taking a breath to steady herself, "I'll tell you what's wrong, but not right now. I'm not ready for that. So...can you give me time to get ready?" closing her eyes, bracing for his answer.

Ronald stared at his hands where they were clasped together between his knees. She needed time, well that was easy enough. "You got it. I'm here whenever you're ready. I'm not going anywhere." he vowed.

In the shower, Bonnie sank down into a sitting position in the tub. She didn't deserve him at all. He was too good for her, but damn if she wasn't thankful to have him. Oh Ronald you have no idea how important you are to me. "Thank you."

"No thank you." he said lightly. "Not everyday a guy gets to undress a sexy gal and then watch her take a shower."

"Goofball." was her only response.

Twiddling his thumbs, Ronald kept his eyes cast down. The shower curtain wasn't clear, but it also didn't leave much to the imagination as far as shapes were concerned.

"You'll never guess who dropped by the diner tonight." he began, hoping that a different subject would help. It never occurred to him that this particular subject might be a mine field.

She was just starting to work shampoo into her hair. "Really, who?" she was pretty sure her hair had been spared the vomit comet, but she intended to give her entire body a good washing anyway.

"Kim."

Pausing her hands, Bonnie absorbed that single word. Kim. How could one word be so heavy? Don't kid yourself she thought, it's because Kim held claim to everything that was Ron and by extension Ronald to and extent. Was that it? Bonnie didn't like the idea of that, but what else could it be? Ronald and Ron were linked because of this whole clone mess and at the center of all that was Kim. Bonnie felt like an outsider looking in on a hurricane. All during high school it had been Kim who had dared stand against her social dominance. However that was the past. This was the real world now and Bonnie could care less about anything even remotely resembling the food chain. She'd seen what a real food chain was like and she knew just how cruel that could be. High school was such a joke compared to that. She'd let go off all that drama a long time ago.

"What did she want?" hoping she didn't sound like some jealous girlfriend.

Wasn't that the million dollar question Ronald thought. What did Kim want? She said she missed her best friend, but that was crazy. She had Ron, she didn't need her husband's clone in the picture. She was just being stubborn like always. Kim had to have everything. It was an addiction with her. Always had to be the best at everything. Anything possible for a Possible...god he hated that saying. It was like her family used that as an excuse to cover their egos. It wasn't like he didn't like the Possibles, they were family to him. It was just that no matter how bad they screwed up they'd just fall back on that saying and plunge ahead trying to fix things in their own way. Headstrong didn't even come close to how they could get.

"Well I'm not really sure." he finally admitted after thinking things through.

"What does that mean?" Bonnie asked, sitting under the hot spray of water, rinsing her hair.

Leaning back, Ronald scratched his cheek. "Hell if I know. She shows up as I'm locking up and wants to talk about how she misses having her best friend around."

Bonnie furrowed her brows. "Her best friend? Isn't Ron her best friend? I mean they've been tight since forever haven't they?"

"Apparently I'm the best friend she's missing. Go figure." sighing loudly.

The shower curtain was pulled back just enough for Bonnie to pop her head out, hair slicked back against her scalp. "What does that even mean?"

Opening his arms, Ronald shrugged. "Like I know. I told her Ron was her best friend. I made it clear that she and I had never been best friends since I'm just a clone."

"First of all you don't know that." she countered, wiping water from her eyes. "Like you told me Ronald, you don't feel like the clone. I don't care what everybody says or what the facts seem to say, until you are ok with how things are I don't think you should let it go. In fact, if you ask me the whole thing wasn't handled properly at all."

He couldn't help but smile. Bonnie was fully in his corner and that was something he had been sorely missing for too long now. Since coming to Lowerton he'd felt so alone, trapped in a life he didn't know how to live. Now he had her and it felt like there was a future spreading out before him. His future, not just the scraps from Ron's life, but his own. Ronald wanted that future and he'd do anything to have it.

"Did I ever tell you how great you are?" giving her that lopsided grin of his that she had started to find so adorable.

"Not nearly enough, but I forgive you." she chided him. Then back to the conversation. "So let me get this straight." vanishing back behind the shower curtain. "Kim has Ron, but now she wants you as her best friend too. So does that mean Ron isn't her best friend?"

"She says she can't see him that way, but that she can me. Makes no damn sense to me." he huffed.

"Actually...I kinda get it." Bonnie said before getting to her feet and turning off the shower.

Ronald was on his feet in a flash, handing her a towel before turning around so she could step out of the shower.

"Ok so if you get it how about you explain it to me?" wishing he could sneak a peek, but being a gentleman he refrained. Soon he promised himself, yes soon.

Bonnie stepped carefully out of the tub, wrapped in the towel so all the proper bits were covered. She pulled another towel off the rack and began drying her hair.

"Well Tara and I were talking about you and Ron earlier and we came to a few conclusions of our own."

Ronald snickered. "Was this before or after your wild make out session?"

"I'm never going to live that one down am I?" giving his back a narrow eyed stare.

He affirmed her assumption with a laugh. "Oh you wait till I ask Tara about it. I bet she'll turn so red they could use her as a stoplight."

Bonnie gasped. "Ronald Stoppable don't you dare! She's too sweet to tease like that."

"Right, sure she is." another laugh.

"What's that supposed to mean" Bonnie demanded, twisting the towel atop her head.

"It's always the quiet ones." half grinning as he said it.

Ronald felt her hands on his shoulders as he was turned to face her. Bonnie moved in close, backing him up against the door as she did. "Don't let a little joke get you in trouble Mister." she warned with a flame behind her teal eyes.

Oh he liked this side of Bonnie. She was claiming what was hers and letting him know it. He liked this very much indeed. However he couldn't let her get away with that little joke of hers now could he?

Putting on a look of utter disappointment, Ronald sighed long and heavy. "Yes ma'am. I guess I'll never know what it's like have two hot chicks all to myself. A virgin like me should know better."

It was a battle of wills. The bathroom was utterly quiet save for the dripping shower. The world seemed to pause on its axis.

Bonnie shoved him to the side and stepped out of the bathroom with not a word said. Ronald screwed his eyes shut. Obviously he's crossed a line with that one. He just had to push it didn't he. Damn it!

Bonnie walked to the dresser and opened the drawer that had been made hers, picking out a pair of soft blue panties and slipping them on. As an after thought she opened another drawer and pulled out one of his shirts. So he wanted to play huh? She had always been a manipulative girl, which had served her greatly as an adult. This could be fun, this little back and forth. It felt good to have somebody she could be herself around without fear of judgment. Halting midway through brushing her hair she realized the truth in that. Ronald wouldn't judge her for the things she'd done. It was a breath stealing truth that washed over her. Now all she had to do was get the courage to tell him one day.

Until then she couldn't let him get the last word in this little battle of theirs. Her reflection in the mirror was positively evil.

Inside the bathroom Ronald was angry with himself. He'd taken the teasing too far. He'd never want any other woman but Bonnie, she had to know that right? Then he considered how rough she'd had it in the years since leaving Middleton and honestly he couldn't begin to understand what she might have been through. Who knew how hard it was for her to trust anybody. That first day at the diner hadn't been easy for her that much was clear. Not to mention that things between them had been rocky following that. In fact their relationship had been a roller coaster so far. It hadn't had the chance to level out yet. Now he'd gone and taken a little joke she'd made to get under his skin and turned it into something that had either pissed her off or hurt her feelings.

Then Bonnie's voice drifted to his ears from the bedroom. "Be a good boy and I'll see what I can do about that little day dream of yours." her voice as sexy as anything he had ever heard.

Instantly he got hard as a rock. Oh she was good, damn she was good. He was going to have his hands full.

Leaving the bathroom, he saw that she was already in a fresh pair of panties and had just pulled one of his t-shirts over her head. It fell down far enough that only the barest hint of her perfectly shaped rear could be seen. In other words she was the best looking thing he'd seen in his life. His throat went dry.

"I'm...ah..." he tried to form a witty comeback of his own.

Bonnie looked over her shoulder, one teal eye peeking out past her long wet hair. "Shh." she ordered softly.

Ronald shushed.

Bonnie went back to drying her hair fully, looking at herself in the mirror. She felt so much better now, but already she could feel the pain setting in. Taking up the bottle of her pain medicine, she downed two on the spot.

Setting the bottle aside, she returned to the other conversation. "Like I was saying, I sorta get where Kim is coming from. Tara and I both think you and Ron are different in ways that aren't obvious at first. It's a little weird, but the best way to put it is like...you know those optical illusion paintings? The ones with all the lines and swirls that look like just a mess, but there's an image hidden that once you see it you can't not see it?"

He fell back onto the bed, bouncing once, before rubbing his eyes. "Man those things never worked for me. I never saw the bunny or the ship or anything. Just looked like somebody threw cans of paint at a canvas."

She grinned at how he put it. "Well that's what you and Ron are like. At first you seem the same, but once you start to notice the differences it's easy to tell you apart."

"Sure didn't seem that way when you were about to jack Kim up when you thought she was kissing me in the backyard a few days ago." not even bothering to keep the mirth from his voice.

Bonnie spun around and pounced on the bed, snuggling up next to him happily. "What can I say? I'm very territorial."

"I'm completely fine with that." he said, wrapping an arm around her.

Bonnie sighed in contentment. This was so nice. "You can't blame me though. Someone who shall remain nameless didn't tell me about the whole double thing and I walked smack into it."

Grimacing, "Now who would do that?" feigning innocence.

Placing a hand on his chest she nuzzled her cheek against him. "A goofball."

"Your goofball." he corrected with a grin.

"Absolutely." she purred.

Ronald stared at the ceiling, folding his other arm behind his head. "Kim didn't tell Ron she came to see me."

Bonnie blew out a breath. "That doesn't sound good."

"I know right." he agreed with a sigh of his own. "I think she's just confused. She said there were no right answers and that nothing had ever been dealt with, not really."

"Well I agree with her there." and Bonnie meant that. Far as she was concerned the whole thing had been swept under the rug and ignored.

"Oh they dealt with it just like they wanted if you ask me. I told her as much too. They labeled me the clone and that was that." the anger that he still felt about that couldn't be kept out of his voice.

She reached up to touch his cheek with the tips of her fingers. "Hey...I don't care if you're a clone or not. All that matters to me is that you are the man I want to be with. That's way more than enough for me. You got that?"

Rolling his head to look at her he just marveled at her. She was beautiful and she wanted to be with him. "Same goes for you. I don't care where you were before. You're here with me now and that's where I want you to stay."

"I'm not going anywhere." she promised.

"Not like I'd let you." he teased.

Two people with questionable pasts managed to steal a little bit of happiness and for them, in the here and now, it was enough.


	4. Chapter 4

Bonnie handed the customer their change, thanked them for their business, and then sighed with relief. The lunch rush was finally over. Today's had seemed especially busy with the little diner practically packed one end to the other.

"Ok the coast is clear!" she called back towards the kitchen where her boyfriend was hard at work.

Just the thought of that word...boyfriend...brought a smile to her face. There had been lots of boyfriends in her life, but for the first time the word meant something. It made her feel something this time. At last she had found somebody that made her feel special.

Ronald popped his head into the front of the diner, a towel laying over one shoulder. "Last one out?"

Nodding, she turned from the register, tucking some hair behind her ear. "So want me to put up the sign or just wing it today?"

"The sign of course." Ronald admonished with a grin. "I want you off your feet and resting while you eat." Then he vanished back into the kitchen.

Walking around the counter Bonnie shook her head, but she was grinning. He was always fussing over her and it felt nice she admitted to herself. "You know I'm fine right." raising her voice so he could hear her. "I got the stitches out and everything. No pain at all." then she added for good measure. "It's not even red anymore."

Picking up the piece of cardboard with the hand written sign that read...Back in 30...Bonnie hung it on the door and was about to lock the diner when a very familiar face popped up on the other side of the glass. For just a moment she thought Ronald had run out the back door and around to the front to play some sort of prank on her, but then it passed just as suddenly as it had come. The face might be familiar, but it wasn't Ronald.

Pulling the door open just a bit, she tilted her head and arched one perfect brow in an unspoken question.

Outside the diner Ron stood in dark gray slacks and a Middleton High varsity jacket over a white button down shirt. His thick blond hair was doing battle with the cold wind and losing quite badly.

"Hiya Bonbon." offering a little wave and a smile.

"Hey...Ron." oh that still felt odd she thought. Old habits die hard and all that. "Don't tell me you drove all this way to eat?" Because of course he didn't she thought.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Ron looked down at his sneakers and shuffled back and forth a bit. "Well no, I ah...well..."

Inside the diner Ronald walked out of the kitchen with two plates of food. "Lunch is served." he announced before catching sight of what was going on at the door. Ok so first Kim and now Ron, just great. Setting the plates down he leaned both hands on the edge of the counter and stared, not saying a word.

Outside Ron spotted his brother as it were and then glanced back to Bonnie. "I want to speak to the manager." he joked, hoping to lighten things up because he was definitely feeling unwelcome. Maybe this had been a bad idea.

"What for?" she asked, not budging. She was feeling a bit protective and the idea of Ron and Ronald getting into another argument wasn't appealing to her in the slightest. Now if they could talk like grown ups that was something else.

"Well for one thing the service here sucks." Ron smiled as he looked around. "I've been waiting all this time and not even a menu."

Rolling her eyes, Bonnie stepped aside so he could enter. "That was lame." but she did grin just a little. Ok so if Ron was willing to make horrible jokes then maybe things wouldn't get out of hand.

Ron stepped inside, then tried to tame his hair by running his fingers through it. "Hey I can't just spring the all new and improved Ron on you. I gotta let you take it all in slow."

Trying not to openly smile, Bonnie made a big show of flipping her hair as she walked past him. "Take all of what in? You seen one loser you seen them all." tossing her old high school insult at him, but her voice held no negativity at all. It was clear she was teasing.

Following behind her, Ron stepped up to the counter and took a seat on one of the stools. "She always like this?" he asked Ronald with a little half grin.

Bonnie took a seat herself and pulled her plate towards her. BLT, fries, and a sliced apple. Before taking a bite of her sandwich she gave Ronald a brief stare. One that said he better give the right answer.

"Yes." Ronald replied. "She's always perfect." his lips twitching.

Satisfied with his answer, Bonnie began to eat her lunch.

Ron caught the signals between the two of them. Wow as weird as it was to see them together, they really seemed to be making it work. He was glad for that. There had already been so much bad vibes since the first day Ronald had shown up at his house. It was time for some good ones.

Ronald pushed his plate with two burgers all the way and fries towards Ron. "I know you're hungry."

"You do huh?" he asked even as he reached for a burger.

Ronald nodded. "Yep. Call it a hunch." turning back towards the kitchen he called over his shoulder. "I'll be right back. Play nice kids."

Ron took a bite of the burger and almost groaned it was so good. Well at least his clone had his mad cooking skills going for him. Not to mention his good looks.

Bonnie swiveled on the stool so she could look at Ron quizzically. "Ok so what's with the sudden appearance?" taking another bite of her sandwich.

Swallowing his own bite, Ron stared at the burger in his hand. "Just thought it was time Ronald and I talked."

"Uh huh." chewing her food slowly as she looked him over.

It was just...weird. They looked so much alike that it was freaky. However just like she and Tara had discussed, once you saw them together things started to stand out. Like how Ron was the guy she remembered going to school with all her life. This was the guy she used to call loser and scores of other names that were far less civil. The man sitting beside her eating one of the best homemade burgers in Lowerton was the guy who lost his pants on a daily basis. The one who carried a naked mole rat in his pocket everywhere he went. Last but not least, this was the guy who had tagged along behind Kim everywhere she went like a lapdog.

She couldn't imagine Ronald doing any of that.

Only that just didn't make sense. How could that be?

Ronald returned with burgers of his own and stood on the opposite side of the counter from them and began eating.

The silence stretched until Bonnie couldn't take it any more.

"Ok so you came to talk." taking a big bite of her sandwich she looked from Ron to Ronald and then back before gesturing with her sandwich.

Ron took the overly obvious hint. "Yeah so..." be faltered. How to begin?

Ronald waited for the argument he knew was coming. No doubt Kim had gotten around to telling Ron about her little visit and he was here to make some dramatic demands about staying away from his wife and so on. Honestly he really didn't feel like going through all that again. He'd gotten his fill of it before moving to Lowerton and he certainly didn't want to have to hear it while standing in his own diner.

"Kay so I guess you're wondering how I found this place." Ron tried to start.

"Wade." Ronald stated as he chewed.

"The nerd." Bonnie quipped, taking fry in hand.

"Oh...ok guess that was obvious huh?" sheepish look in place, Ron finished his burger in three quick bites. A feat Ronald mimicked as if on cue.

Seeing it happen caused Bonnie to pause with the fry half way to her mouth. "Ok you two can't do crap like that or I'm seriously going to make you wear name tags."

Both men started to chuckle at the exact same time and in the exact same way. This only served to give Bonnie a case of the Twilight Zone big time. Standing she took her plate and headed around the counter.

"Ok I'm out before I get a migraine dealing with you two, I'm going to go eat in the office." she declared.

Pausing to stand on her tip toes she planted a kiss on Ronald's cheek before vanishing into the back of the diner and leaving the two Stoppables alone.

"She's nicer than I remember." Ron offered cordially.

Shrugging, Ronald turned and poured out two glasses of sweet tea. One he took a sip of, the other he offered to Ron. "People change."

Taking the drink, Ron took a sip before nodding. "Guess they do."

"So what's on your mind?" Ronald asked, deciding to get this over with.

Ron shifted on the stool, tugging his shirt away from his neck with a finger. "Look I came to talk to you. I think we need to talk don't you?"

"Depends." Ronald braced for it. "About what?"

"Honestly it's because of Kim..." Ron began.

Here it comes Ronald thought.

"...I think all this stuff between you and me upsets her." taking a big gulp of his tea before going on. "I mean all the fighting and stuff. I think she wants us to get along, you know like real brothers."

Ronald stood perplexed. Wait so he wasn't here to pick a fight? "Really? That's what you think?" setting his glass down, he leaned back against the large metal sink behind him. "She told you that...recently?"

Shaking his head, Ron pushed the plate in front of him with a thumb. "No. It's just...I know she's really been thinking about it since that day at the rents. You know when Bonnie was going to try and go all Mike Tyson on Kim."

"Try?" Ronald snorted a laugh. "From what I saw she was about two seconds from a KO."

Ron was about to point out that Kim had more styles of Kung Fu at her disposal than Bonnie had toes, but instead he took a calming breath and opted for the more civil route. "Let's agree that the last thing either of us wants is our ladies fighting."

"Definitely." Ronald didn't even want to imagine that. He adored Bonnie, but Kim was on another level entirely when it came to fighting.

Ron plucked a fry from the plate and tossed it down the hatch. "So it's like this...I know I've been a real jerk."

"Ass." Ronald offered his own opinion with a smirk.

"Ok I've been an ass." Ron admitted readily. "But come on man, can you blame me?"

Holding up a hand to put a stop to things before they got started, Ronald interjected. "Look we've been down the whole my life, your life, thing ok. Let's not even go there. I get it. You get it. We all get it."

"Well I thought I got it, but Kim really opened my eyes about some things." sounding pretty guilty, Ron hung his head.

"Really?" Ronald wasn't sure what to make of that.

Nodding, Ron took a deep breath. "Yeah. I pretty much though of you as an intruder, just somebody who was trying to mess with my life. I think we both know how I can get when I'm really worked up. I tend to just put my entire foot in my mouth...a lot."

Ron paused and looked up to see if Ronald had anything to add.

"Continue." Ronald gestured with wave of his hand.

"Right well...So yeah when it comes to Kim I can overreact. We have the same memories so I'm sure you understand why." reaching for another fry.

"Well after everything it took to finally get the girl, yeah I get it." readily agreeing with his other self, Ronald blew out a breath.

"Ok so yeah, but the thing is, and this is the thing I didn't get until recently." Ron paused to gather the courage to say what came next. "What I didn't understand what that you felt the exact same way I did. Even if you are a clone you had all the same memories I did, and that means you loved Kim as much as I did. That for all you knew of things she was with you and it felt like I was the one messing with your life."

To say Ronald was surprised was an understatement. "Wow...I, ah...never thought I'd hear you say that."

Ron looked up and it was easy to see there was a lot of raw emotions bouncing around inside him. "I never stopped to put myself in your shoes and that's really stupid when you think about it. I mean who else should have understood you better than me right? I mean...I mean no matter how it happened we are basically the same person when you think about it. Just one of us is a clone. It shouldn't have been hard for me to see things your way, but I was too busy trying to make you the bad guy."

Clearing his throat, Ronald grabbed his glass of tea and practically downed it in one gulp before wiping the back of his hand across his mouth. "Hell it's not like I made it easy either. I did lie to Kim to get her to go out with me that night. I could have handled that better, but you have to believe me when I say I never meant to hurt her."

Images of Kim's face and the red mark where he'd struck her that night as he fought with Ron flooded his mind and Ronald felt ill.

"Everybody knows that man." Ron said, guessing what was going through the other man's thoughts.

"Still hate that it happened." Ronald admitted with a sour look on his face.

Ron reached out and plucked another fry off the plate, then pointed it at Ronald. "Well then are you willing to agree that everything was handled pretty much in the worst way possible by everybody and move on from there?"

Scratching the side of his nose with a finger, Ronald gave that some thought. Was he willing to do that? Could he? "I don't know. I think we need to get some other stuff out of the way first."

"Like what?" Ron bit the fry in half.

"Well for starters..." Ronald looked directly at Ron. "...how sure are you that you're the real Ron Stoppable?"

**•←←←→→→•←←←→→→•←←←→→→•←←←→→→•←←←→→→•←←←→→→•**

Kim moved through the cafe, stopping along the way to listen to a random stranger thank her for something she had done back in her mission days, or perhaps to ask for an autograph. The latter of which always made her cringe inwardly. She didn't feel like some sort of celebrity and she certainly hadn't gotten into the hero business to become one. She has truly enjoyed helping people. Somewhere along the way saving the world and fighting villains had just sort of become the norm if such a thing were possible.

Anything's possible for a Possible she thought with a wry smile.

Out of the corner of her eye Kim spotted the person she'd come to spend some time with on her day off. One of her dearest friends and somebody she knew she could confide in.

Heading towards the booth tucked away towards the back of the cafe, Kim shrugged out of her long coat and folded it over an arm. "Monique!" getting the dark skinned beauty's attention as she approached.

"Girl there you are!" Monique beamed with a smile as she looked up.

Sliding into the booth, Kim tucked her coat in beside her and enjoyed the warmth of the cafe. It was freezing outside, promising a Winter to remember even by Colorado standards. Then again they all did that.

"Oh I love the new look!" Kim gushed as she took in her friend's new short hair.

Monique struck a pose right where she sat. "I know I look good." fluffing her hair with both hands. "I call this the Lopez wish she could look."

"Well it suits you."

The dark skinned beauty waved the server over, then turned her attention back to Kim. "I thought you'd be spending some time with your man on your day off."

Offering a little huff, Kim almost pouted. "I wish. Ron had to go in for some meeting with the other coaches. Honestly it's Saturday, you'd think they could do it during the school week."

"It is so cute how you get without your Ronshine." Monique teased.

Both women broke into laughter that only abated when the server approached to take their order. Once they were alone again Monique leaned forward to rest her elbows on the table.

"So word is that Ronald and a certain former cheerleader are cohabiting these days." wrinkling her nose mischievously.

Kim gasped, leaning on the table herself. "How did you know that?"

"Do you or do you not know who I am." Monique rolled her eyes. "Obviously you don't if you think gossip like that is gonna slip past me."

Kim's eyes widened in surprise. "Wow...Ok then." She knew Monique had always been the top source for gossip, but this was bordering on scary. If she wasn't working for the government then her talents were sorely going to waste.

"Girl spill." the dark haired woman ordered with a serious face. It had been ages since she'd heard anything as juicy as this and she was going to have every last detail.

Leaning on one arm, a hand cradling her cheek, Kim began to fill Monique in on what she knew. By the end of her story they were sipping coffees and Monique was rubbing her lower lip with a finger deep in thought.

"So Ronald and Bonnie? Well can't say I ever saw that coming." Monique admitted. "I mean back in school she never missed a chance to shoot our boy down so how she ended up with his clone is beyond me."

Wincing at the mention of the word clone, Kim set her coffee down and sighed.

Monique zoomed in on that sound like a sniper who's target had just held up a big red sign that said shoot here. "Uh oh."

"Uh oh?" Kim repeated with a curious blink.

"Uh huh." Monique quipped. "Uh oh. As in something is on your mind other than who Ronald is hooking up with."

Reaching out Kim snatched up a packet of sugar and began twisting it in her fingers. "Who Ronald does or does not hook up with isn't my concern Monique."

"Oh I know that. Wasn't talking about that. I'm talking about whatever is zipping around in that head of yours right now." resting one arm on the back of the booth, Monique pointed a finger Kim's way. "So why did you really want to meet up today?"

Kim folded the sugar packet in half, not looking up. "Can't I enjoy my friend's company?"

The air between them was quiet for exactly two seconds.

"Kim you might have mad saving the world skills, but girl you can not lie to save your life." she pointed out with a victorious smirk.

Dropping her head to the table in defeat Kim groaned. "That bad huh?"

"That bad."

"Fine!" Lifting her head, Kim took a deep breath and launched into her second story, this one about her visit to Ronald's diner a few nights ago. For the entirety of the story Monique sat quietly listening, taking a sip of her coffee every now and then

After the red head finished and sat there waiting for her take on things, Monique set her coffee down gently. Entwining her fingers she rested her chin on them, elbows propped on the table. "Wow. Next time you have juicier gossip, lead with that."

Kim didn't follow. "What are you talking about?"

"Nobody is that dense sweetie." the dark haired beauty cut to the quick of it.

"Excuse me?" Kim almost glared. "Should I take offense at that?"

With a little half grin and shrug, Monique sighed. "Sorry girl, but I gotta be real with you. Sounds like you might be letting that never back down attitude of yours get you in trouble again."

"Again?"

"Yes again. Wouldn't be the first time you charged into something expecting it to work out because you wanted it to." Monique saw the frown pulling Kim's features down and reached out to pat her hand. "Hey I'm not attacking you here. Just stating facts."

Kim grimaced. "Well I feel attacked to be honest." pushing her now cold coffee aside.

"Well what were you thinking going to Ronald with all that?" she asked Kim evenly. "He's got enough on his plate without you dumping your problems on him."

Kim touched a hand to her own chest. "My problems? I'm trying to figure out what to do about my best friend here. Don't you think that Ronald is part of that?"

"Nope." came the quick and flat answer to her question.

Kim was taken aback. She just sat there staring, lips parted as if she wanted to speak.

Monique lifted a finger towards her. "See that right there is what I'm talking about. It never even occurred to you that this has nothing to do with Ronald did it?"

"It...It has everything to do with him!" her voice rising.

"Amp it down girl." waving her pointing finger up and down. "Look I feel you ok, I do. It can not be easy having a clone of your man running around out there and hooking up with Bonnie. I can not even pretend that I wouldn't be mad just knowing she's getting what I'm getting at home."

Kim was perplexed to say the least. "She's not...wait what does that even mean?"

Blowing out a long sigh, Monique shook her head slowly. "You are too pure for this world. I mean Bonnie has her own copy of Ron to play with and I'm sure she's gonna play with him good and plenty if her reputation back in school is any indication."

That idea slapped Kim across the face like a city bus. Oh she did not like that at all. The images that sprang unbidden into her head were enough to make her quickly down the remains of her cold coffee in a desperate attempt to be rid of them.

"I did NOT need that in my brain thank you very much!" she snapped before almost slamming the cup down.

Monique nodded in agreement. "No doubt."

Kim sat back in the booth and tried to shake off the last of the images. She knew it was Ronald and not her Ron that would be doing the deed with Bonnie, but still it left her feeling icky in all the wrong ways. In fact she shuddered for real.

"So what did Ron say about it?" Monique asked, taking a sip of her coffee and deciding she could do without the rest of it and pushed it to the side as well.

"I didn't tell him remember." Kim replied, toying with the sugar packet again.

"Hold up!" Monique looked out at the rest of the cafe to be sure her outburst hadn't attracted any attention. Then she swiveled her gaze back onto her best friend and glared daggers. "What do you mean you didn't tell him?"

"Like I told Ronald...which I just told you about...like just now." Kim replied. "You know the part where I specifically said I didn't tell Ron?"

Putting a hand to her forehead, Monique leaned over the table shaking her head. "Girl tell me you did not go behind your husband's back to see his clone just so you could gush on about some be my best friend bull."

"First of all it is not bull!" Kim defended herself. "And I didn't tell Ron because I know he'd get upset."

"That is the very reason why you either tell him first or you don't do the thing that would upset him!" Monique declared. "Why am I having to tell you this?"

Kim shrank down in the booth dejectedly. "I just wanted to talk to Ronald."

"Talk to Ron!" Monique hissed. "You know him right? The man you married. The man who is actually your best friend since forever girl!"

Kim looked down and to the side, her eyes wet. "I thought you'd understand." her voice cracking just the slightest bit. "That I could talk to you about it. About what I'm going through."

Leveling an accusing finger towards her, Monique shot back. "No what you thought was I'd give you a pass on this and make you feel less like you're running around behind Ron's back, but lemme tell you that is so not happening."

Kim shot up where she sat, eyes blazing. "I am not running around behind Ron's back! Nothing is going on between me and Ronald! Nothing at all!"

"Last time I checked telling a man you love him behind your husband's back counted as just that." she shoot back.

Kim made an effort to keep her voice down. "Yes I love him, but I'm not in love with him." throwing her hands up in frustration. "Why is that so hard to understand? I'm in love with Ron!"

Monique tapped the table with one manicured nail. "Because you are acting like talking to Ronald is something to hide and from where I'm sitting that just doesn't sound good Kim. Not good at all."

"I'm not hiding anything." the former heroine muttered weakly, but even she admitted she sounded pretty unbelievable. Was she really screwing up so badly she wondered? All she wanted was her best friend back, was that so bad?

Monique grabbed her purse and counted out her side of the bill, laying the cash on the table. "Well if you have nothing to hide then I suggest you go have a good long talk with the real man in your life and see what Ron thinks of all this."

That stung, Kim thought sadly.

Standing, Monique paused to look down on Kim in more ways than one. This time her friend had really dug herself into a hole. "For what it's worth I'm sure Ron won't be mad for long if at all. He's a great guy and you are really lucky to have him in your life Kim." sighing she ran a hand down her shirt to smooth it out. "Not all of us can say we have something that good to go home to. Don't screw it up ok?"

Looking up, Kim nodded meekly. "I know I'm lucky."

"Then stop being greedy girl." Monique teased, letting her warm smile break through the tension between them. "Just because there are two Stoppables out there doesn't mean they both belong to you."

Kim sat in the cafe long after Monique had departed. The server came and went, but she didn't order anything else. Instead she let her mind wander over everything the dark beauty had said and after a lot of thinking she made a decision.

She would talk to Ron tonight.

**•←←←→→→•←←←→→→•←←←→→→•←←←→→→•←←←→→→•←←←→→→•**

Ron dropped the half eaten fry onto the plate in front of him. "Well I'm pretty sure because, you know, I'm me."

"That's not good enough. Hell if that's all it took then I'm the original Ron Stoppable because I still feel like it even now." Ronald pointed out.

"Hey I thought you said you didn't want to get into all this who is real and who isn't stuff?" Ron asked calmly. On the way here he promised himself he was going to keep his cool and he intended to give it his best shot.

"It's not like before." Ronald tried to find the right words, then he stepped back up to the counter and leaned his hands on it. "The thing is, I was talking with Bonnie not too long ago, you know filling her in on everything and she asked me some questions about how I felt and it turns out I still feel like I'm the real one, not the clone."

"Still sounds like you want to dredge all that up again to me." not seeing where this was going, Ron thought they were about to get into it all over again.

"No, I mean yeah, but not like you think." Ronald sighed in frustration. "Just listen...Ok let's say one of us is a clone."

"One of us is." Ron stated while looking pointedly at him.

Ronald glared. "Any way...not just a clone, but a Drakken made clone."

Not catching on, Ron scratched his head. "Well yeah. You woke up after Kim and I blew up his lair."

"Whatever, look you're not getting the point. Since when has Drakken ever done anything right? Every time he tried cloning he screwed it up. Like that time he cloned Bonnie by accident instead of Kim, then he cloned Kim and me...er, you...us. Gah! Ok just...Drakken can't do anything right is what I'm saying. He always screws something up."

"Well yeah it's Drakken." Ron blinked in confusion, still not following.

"Ok so you're telling me that it doesn't seem odd to you that Drakken can make a clone so good that it not only looks, acts, thinks, and feels just like the original does, but it doesn't have any flaws either? I mean the last clones got dissolved by soda remember."

"Oh man was that gross!" Ron gagged.

"Exactly!" Ronald slapped the counter with a hand. "So ok let's say I'm the clone."

"Which you are." Ron was quick to point out, again.

Not taking the bait, Ronald continued. "So like I said I'm the clone, but look at me. I'm living a full life and it's been over a year and there's been nothing wrong with me. I haven't melted or gone all evil or anything. No take over the world signal, nothing like that either. Does that fit with everything we know about Drakken?"

Ron's head was starting to spin. "So what you're saying is that there's no way Drakken could have made a clone without something going wrong?"

"Drakken can't make toast without something blowing up." he confirmed with a nod.

"So then that means...what?" Ron felt like he was close to understanding, but it was eluding him.

"What it means is we need to get some real answers. A perfect clone just isn't something Drakken can do. I'm sure of it." leaning down so he was face to face with his mirror image, Ronald tapped the counter with a finger. "Look one of us could be a clone, or both of us."

"Both!?" Ron's eyes went wide. "What do you mean both?"

"Wouldn't be the first time Drakken was able to sneak something past us or Kim. Remember that synthodrone Eric?"

"Oh I hated that guy...I mean thing." smacking his fist on the counter Ron's eyes narrowed.

"Yeah me too." Ronald admitted. "So if he can fool everybody with a synthodrone for all that time is it really so hard to think he couldn't have pulled a fast one and switched out the real Ron for a clone or even clones?"

Things were starting to click inside Ron's head and he wasn't liking any of it. "Wait so why would Drakken make more than on clone? Wouldn't that give the whole thing away?" rubbing his chin he snapped his fingers. "Also I can use the Mystical Monkey Powers! I can't be a clone!"

Crossing his arms, Ronald looked to be giving some serious thought to that. He'd been wondering about that ever since he first found out he couldn't use MMP at all. He remembered some of the moves from Tai Shing Pek Kwar, but he didn't have Ron's innate understanding of that particular style of Kung Fu, which was very apparent in their last fight. Ron had throttled him pretty good.

"Ok so what if a clone can use MMP then?" posing the question, Ronald held up a hand to forestall Ron from interrupting. "Hear me out. I mean if a clone is a copy, then there's nothing to say a clone can't use MMP. Rufus can and he's not even human."

Ron's brows furrowed in thought now as well. "Yeah you're right. Rufus is pretty badical with MMP."

"Exactly." though he was loathe to bring up this next part, Ronald felt he had to. They needed to start thinking about getting some real answers so this was no time to hold back. "The fact that I can't use MMP could be why I was in that tube thing to begin with. Maybe there was a flaw in me and I wasn't even meant to wake up." looking down at the floor after he said those words.

Picking up on what Ronald was feeling, Ron winced. "So in other words there might not have ever been a plan to have more than one clone huh?"

Not able to keep the bitterness from his voice, Ronald spoke softly. "Look Ron...as much as I hate the idea that I'm not the person I feel like I should be, it really sucks to even consider that I may be nothing more than some failed experiment of Drakken's"

"But that doesn't mean I'm a clone." expressing his own thoughts on the matter, Ron shook his head. "Look I'm sorry that you got dealt a bad hand, really. I just don't see any other way of looking at it. I'm the real Ron Stoppable." standing from the stool, Ron stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets. "I just came here tonight to clear the air between us...for Kim."

Ronald drew in a heavy breath. "I know it sounds crazy, but you need to be one hundred percent sure. I know I need to be and I'm going to find out."

"After all this time why now?" Ron asked a little louder than he intended. "Why start all this crap over?"

"Because I need to know so I can have any chance at a life with Bonnie." Ronald said through clenched teeth. "I want to know if I can give her kids one day." he refused to believe what the doctors said about Bonnie's chances at conceiving. The person he was really worried about was himself. Because if he was some twisted science experiment he didn't want to risk hurting her. "I want to know that we have a shot together and I can't do that if I don't know the truth." he looked up, locking eyes with Ron. "What if I don't even have a normal life span? What if some random thing is my undoing huh? Like soda was for those other clones Drakken made, what if one day I use the wrong soap or lotion and I...just...I'm gone?"

Ron stood with his mouth agape. He'd never considered any of this and it was some really heavy stuff that Ronald was talking about. It scared him to even consider it.

Ronald went on. "So yeah Ron are you absolutely sure you are the real deal? Because if you aren't then that means everything I just said could be about you too. Is that something you want to put Kim through?"

Suddenly Ron's mouth went dry. "No." the single word coming out as little more than a squeak.

"I didn't think so." Ronald let out a breath and seemed to deflate a little.

Ron turned away and sagged back against the counter. "Oh man this is totally messed up. I mean...I...aw crap."

"Too much bad road man." Ronald added.

"Way too much." Ron agreed.

The two of them stood in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. Ronald had made his case and now it was up to Ron to decide if he wanted to join him or be stubborn about things. It could go either way really.

Ron broke the silence. "Ok so let's say I agree with you. How do we find out?" turning to face Ronald he shrugged. "I mean they already tested us before."

"Yeah but none of them were experts on cloning." Ronald pointed out with a lifted finger. "Remember how pissed Kim got when Global Justice wanted to take me in for study?"

Despite the serious topic Ron couldn't help but chuckle. "Oh yeah she went ballistic. Threatened to expose Global Justice if they even looked at you side ways. Dr Director had to do some serious damage control and in the end you never had to worry about it."

Ronald scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah well I think it's about time we had a little talk with Dr Director."

"Seriously?" Ron couldn't believe he heard that right.

"Yep. I'm guessing they have the tools to dig a little deeper than Mrs Dr P and her hospital pals did." giving a little chuckle of his own, Ronald sighed. "Any way I think that should be our first move. We can play it by ear after that."

Ron rocked back and forth on his heels a few times, letting things settle in his mind. "Ok, I'm in."

Blowing out a long breath, Ronald braced himself against the counter with both arms. "Glad to hear it."

"I'll get in touch with Dr Director and set something up. I'll let you know when and where." Ron said before turning towards the door of the diner. "I better go. Kim will be wondering where I am."

Picking up on that last part, Ronald arched his brows. "She doesn't know you're here?"

Halting mid step, Ron winced and gave a sheepish little smile, but didn't turn around. "Yeah about that...see I didn't want tell her because I figured she'd want to come with me to make sure we didn't fight. I sorta wanted to do this myself, cause you know...she can be kinda headstrong."

Ronald facepalmed with a groan. "Ron...man. Look I know I'm the last person you want to hear this from, but I think you and Kim need to have a long talk."

"I'll explain everything to her when I get home." Ron promised.

"Yeah well...good luck with that." Ronald said flatly. He knew when those two got down to talking things might not go as smoothly as Ron thought they would. To think that both of them would stop by his diner and keep it a secret from the other, so not a good idea.

"See ya around man." Ron called over his shoulder before stepping out of the diner.

Ronald stood at the counter mulling things over. He didn't really think they were both clones and he didn't really think he was an accident. Though they were fears none the less. He just wanted to impress upon Ron just how serious things could be for the both of them. That this whole mess had been handled poorly in the past and they needed to fix that. Bonnie had been right about that part and now he felt foolish for letting it go this long without looking for the answers himself.

"So how did it go?" Bonnie appeared beside him, leaning against his arm. "Is everything ok?"

"Yeah we didn't fight." giving her a lopsided grin before pulling her even closer.

"Color me impressed." snuggling against him she couldn't help but smile.

"He agrees with me that we need to get some real answers."

His words caused Bonnie to look up at him. "Really?" her surprise written all over her face.

"Yeah." Ronald chuckled at the thought that sprang into his mind. "Assuming he survives his talk with Kim."


	5. Chapter 5

Kim doubled checked everything. Bueno Nacho bags full to the brim. Extra sauce. Two liter of Ron's favorite soda. Lots of napkins cause those are a must when that man eats. Oh and the most important thing...the courage to tell him about her little talk with Ronald.

Well almost everything was ready Kim thought with a little grimace. The sound of the front door brought her out of her thoughts. Now or never.

"Babe does my nose deceive me or is that Bueno Nacho!" Ron called out from the living room.

Trying to sound as nonchalant as she could, Kim lifted her voice. "In the kitchen. Better hurry before it gets cold."

The whirlwind of food doom that was Ron Stoppable appeared as if by magic beside her. "You are the best wife ever!" kissing her square on the lips with a loud smacking sound before taking a seat at the table and digging into one of the bags.

Kim had wisely set aside her own food already lest she find herself going without. She'd known her husband's eating habits far too long to allow that to happen. Opting to just stand by the counter she picked at her taco salad, not really hungry herself.

"So how did the meeting go?" she asked, hoping to stave off her own dreaded topic of discussion for at least a little while longer. "Barkin didn't give you any trouble did he?"

One extra large naco had bravely given its life already and Ron was well into vanquishing another, but her question made him pause. He chewed the bite of naco slowly while his mind sorted out just how to approach telling Kim about his trip to Lowerton today. The one he'd taken instead of going to a meeting that he'd fabricated in order to make that happen.

Oh boy this was so not going to be fun. Better just get it over with he thought.

"Yeah about that..." he began as he set the remainder of the naco back in its wrapper. "See the thing is, well...there, ah . . . well there wasn't a meeting today."

Kim stopped her fork halfway to her mouth. "No meeting?"

"Yeah." Ron gave a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck as he did.

"So they canceled the meeting and didn't even tell you?" Talk about inconsiderate Kim thought to herself. She had half a mind to call up Barkin and let him have it. He always worked Ron too hard and never gave him enough praise if you asked her.

Ron saw that she was getting the wrong idea and was just about to head off her train of thought when Kim suddenly switched rails on him.

"Hold on." sitting her food aside on the counter, Kim crossed her arms and leveled her husband with a shrewd look. "So if there was no meeting then where have you been all day?"

Gulping hard. "Well I went to get a burger."

"Took you all day to get a burger?" Kim felt like something just wasn't adding up here.

"Yeah well it was in Lowerton." Ron amended sheepishly.

"Why would you drive all the way..." Then it hit her.

Seeing that his wife had just put two and two together, Ron stood and moved towards her. "Now Kim before you fly off the handle let me explain."

She held up a hand to silence him. "Tell me you didn't try to find Ronald." Oh that would so be a bad idea if he had. Those two couldn't even be in the same room together without wanting to throttle each other.

Rubbing the back of his neck and looking off to the side he didn't present the most innocent looking visage. "Thing is I didn't have to try and find him." offering a little grin that said please don't be mad.

Kim thought about it all of two seconds and face palmed. "Wade."

"Bingo!" giving two thumbs up.

Well this isn't going as planned Kim thought. Here she'd been ready to tell Ron about her going to talk to Ronald and it turns out he'd beat her to the punch. Now all she needed to do was find out just how bad things had gone between the two Stoppables.

"So what happened?" letting out a deep sigh as she waited to hear all the horrid details of what she was sure had to have been par for the course between those two.

"Hey what's with the tone?" he was sensing that his wife didn't think he could talk with Ronald and not try to throw him through a window. Well so ok maybe that's how he normally felt, but this time had been different. He was proud of how he'd handled himself.

"Look Ron I'm on your side." rubbing her temples with both hands. "So no matter what went down I got your back. I'll take care of it."

Smiling proudly he came to stand in front of her and began rubbing her upper arms. "Not to worry babe. The Ron man took care of things in his own way." giving her a little wink. "Nothing for you to do."

She highly doubted that, but then again stranger things had happened. Reaching out she placed her hands flat on his chest. "You're sure nothing went wrong?" still not entirely convinced.

"Babe trust me." he assured her as he leaned in to give her a peck on the cheek.

A moment later he felt her pushing him back with a firm hand on his chest. Her green eyes were staring right at him and she had this oddly curious look about her.

"Uh oh." Ron squeaked.

"Ok so let me get this straight." she began in a level voice. "Your meeting got canceled and so you decided to just call Wade up and have him find Ronald for you. Then you drove all the way to Lowerton where you not only met up with Ronald, but nothing happened between the two of you." narrowing her eyes. "Nothing at all?"

Ron tried to play everything off with a goofy grin and a wave of his hand, but he could see that Kim was having none of that. Resigned to his fate he explained. "Yeah pretty much just like that...except that I never had a meeting and I just wanted to talk to Ronald on my own. Oh and we decided to have a little talk with Dr Director over at Global Justice so we can get some real answers about the whole clone thing." grinning again at the end hoping she wouldn't go all Mount Kim and erupt.

Kim was just about to call him out for lying to her, but the little voice in her head cautioned her about going that route, especially when she'd lied about working late so she could go have a talk with Ronald herself. So rather than head into that mine field she focused on the other two things.

"Since when do you and Ronald have private chats?" she demanded.

Quick with an answer Ron replied. "Oh it wasn't private. Bonnie was there, well at first anyway."

"So you obviously didn't want me there, but Bonnie was just fine?" she couldn't help but feel a little bit put out here.

Holding his hands up to calm her down, Ron tried to smooth things over. "Like I said she was only there at first. She took her food and went into the office. Ronald and I stayed out in the diner while we ate and had our little talk."

"So it was a whole meal thing too" arching a single brow quite high.

Ron blew out a breath. "See this was why I wanted to go alone. You're overreacting."

Kim blinked. "Overreacting?" What was he even talking about? "I am not overreacting. Ron every time you and Ronald get together I have to play referee."

"Not every time." frowning.

"Yes every time." running a hand through her long red hair. "Like that one time you almost broke his arm Ron!" reminding him of the fight a few months back.

Ron turned away from her, walking a few paces across the kitchen, hands on his hips. "Yeah I know. I was angry and he was being a jerk."

Kim gave a short snort of a laugh. "No more than you were. Every single time the two of you are around each other it's like oil and water. You just can't get along."

"We got along just fine today." he countered.

"Really?" her tone expressing her doubt quite clearly.

Turning to face her, Ron felt his blood rising. "Is that so hard to believe?"

"Frankly...yes." she admitted to him with a nod. "I can not believe you went to see Ronald without me. I mean here I was feeling horrible for what I'd done and after the reaming Monique gave me, I thought for sure I'd be doing damage control tonight, but here you go surprising me with this."

"Say what?" Ron asked.

Not catching on to how deep she was stepping into it, Kim being true to her hotheaded nature, kept right on going. "I told Monique I had a good reason for not telling you when I was going to talk to Ronald, but there's no reason on earth that I shouldn't be with you when you talk to him. Somebody has to keep you two from ripping each other's heads off after all." sighing long and hard at the end of her little tirade.

Ron let that all sink in and licked the side of his mouth in thought. Then he began to walk slowly back across the kitchen towards her.

"Hold on a sec." pointing a finger at his wife. "You said you told Monique you had a good reason."

"Yeah I did." this time her voice was more subdued as she realized that she'd basically flooded the room with what she'd been hoping to say in a rational and calm manner, not as part of a verbal lashing towards her husband.

Looking over at all the Bueno Nacho bags on the table it all suddenly made sense to Ron. "So you went to talk to Ronald and you didn't tell me either huh?" waving his hand at the table full of food. "Let me guess, this was all to bribe me so I wouldn't what...get upset?"

Kim started to form her patented puppy dog pout. "You have to admit that you do get upset whenever anything has to do with Ronald."

Moving even closer to her now, Ron stared right at her. "Oh no, not this time. The PDP isn't going to help you." standing firm, his finger pointed at her again. "So when did you talk to him and where?" he demanded.

Shocked that the PDP had failed her, Kim went on the defensive. "Ok so maybe when I told you I was working late a while back I might have gone to Lowerton after getting some help from Wade myself. Is that so wrong?"

"Actually no it's not." he said, surprising her with his words.

Ron might not have liked the idea of Kim going off alone to talk to Ronald, but he would have respected her wish to do so. Yes he might even have gotten jealous about it, but he didn't control her. No, what was starting to upset him right now was the fact that both of them had apparently felt the need to keep things from each other. One of them doing that is a problem, but it can be worked through. However when both of them were doing it, that hinted at deeper issues.

"What's wrong is that we're lying to each other Kim. Lying to each other about Ronald." he pointed out.

Ron's mind replayed his chat with his clone from earlier. Ronald! Oh that's right, he hadn't even told Ron about the fact that Kim had dropped by before. When they were supposed to be clearing the air between them and trying to work things out he goes and keeps himself a nice little secret like that. Well Ron was sure going to let his fake brother know exactly how he felt about that next time he saw him.

Kim recoiled from the accusation. "I'm not lying to you about anything. I'm just late telling you is all." meekly trying to spin things in her favor.

Ron shook his head. "Aw man it just dawned on me. You told Monique about it." frustrated good and plenty now. "That makes me the third person to even know about you going to talk to him. I should have been the first."

"Well I wasn't sure you'd have been ok with it." she shot back.

He deflected her words with his own. "Well now you know I'm a big boy and I'd have been just fine."

Kim locked onto the other part of what he'd said. "And just what is this about you guys going to Global Justice any way?"

"Just what I said. We're going to get them to help us get some real answers. Something we should have done from the beginning." he said adamantly.

She couldn't believe the two of them could even come up with such a stupid idea. "Ron you know all GL wants to do is get their hands on Ronald and use him like a lab rat. How can you even consider going to them?"

"I won't let that happen." he was confident in that.

Kim did not share in her husband's confidence. "Really? Ok so let's say I buy that. What do you mean real answers? We already had you both tested."

Rolling his eyes. "No offense to your mom, but I think we need something a little more than blood work and a physical."

Kim felt like she was being forced into a corner. On the one hand it did make sense to get some hard evidence about Ron and Ronald, even she had to admit that some points had been made recently after her talk with Ronald in that regard. However she couldn't help but feel the need to balk at this idea. Could it be that maybe deep down she didn't want to know the answers, especially if they weren't in her and Ron's favor?

"You know what...fine." throwing her hands up in the air. "You two just run off to a super secret government agency and let's hope for the best."

Ron didn't understand where she was coming from on this. She should be happy that he was taking steps to not only get along with Ronald, but to help him sort out his life. "Ronald just wants to know that he's got a shot at a real life. One he can share with Bonnie. What's wrong with that?"

"Maybe it's like you said Ron." she fumed with hands clenched at her sides. "We've started lying to each other all of a sudden. It just has me wondering what that means."

Moving towards her again, arms open, he offered her a look of understanding. "Babe it just means we both have strong feelings about stuff. Couples don't have to agree on everything, they just have to make sure they're on the same page in the long run."

Kim moved to the side, avoiding his embrace and leaving him to stand there feeling awkward.

"Strong feelings or not, I think it would have been best if I'd gone with you." refusing to look his way.

Couldn't he understand that simple fact? Yes she'd been wrong to lie to him and visit Ronald without Ron knowing about it before hand, but it wasn't as if she was going to attack him or anything. Ron on the other hand could really hurt Ronald if he wanted to using that Mystical Monkey stuff. Somebody had to be there to keep something like that from happening.

Ron was starting to get the feeling that his wife was more worried about Ronald than the fact that he'd gone without her really. "Do you think I'd try to hurt Ronald, is that it Kim?"

Bracing a hand to her forehead she took a deep breath. "Maybe...I don't know. You two just can't get along and after the last time-"

"Kim the last time he threw the first punch and I was just done ok." he snapped. "I put up with a lot of crap since he showed up and after what happened at the restaurant I was not going to let you get hurt again."

"I can take care of myself." Kim declared heatedly.

"This isn't a mission Kim!" his voice rising. "You don't get to call the shots in our marriage like that. I'm not your side kick any more, I'm your husband and if I want to protect you then I will." he vowed.

She glared at him, eyes narrowing. "Protect me from what, from who?" she demanded, her own voice rising. "From Ronald?"

"If I have to yes." Ron wasn't backing down as he faced her.

She felt a derisive chuckle escape her. "Oh my god do you hear yourself? Ronald wouldn't do anything to me and besides even if he tried something I could take him without breaking a sweat."

Ron closed his eyes, running a hand down his face before wagging a finger at her. "There you go again talking like it's back in the mission days. We don't do that stuff any more Kim. You aren't running the show. The only team you need to focus on is us...the couple, not Team Possible. This team only works if we work together as equals."

"Says the guy who didn't want me tagging along today." tossing the words at him like a knife.

"Well the woman who snuck away to talk to her husband's clone and then brag about it to Monique doesn't have any room to speak." his own words ice cold.

Mouth agape, Kim tried to formulate words for a good few seconds before her anger got the better of her. "I was not bragging! I wanted to get an unbiased opinion of things from Monique. Something you wouldn't know anything about!"

"Let me guess, that didn't work out for you did it?" Ron was matching his wife's emotional level now. They were feeding off each other. "I bet Mon told you anything but what you wanted to hear huh? Something like...Hey girl you better not be lying behind your man's back...so how close am I?"

The fact that he was on the money did nothing to lesson her anger.

"Hey I can talk to Ronald and not try to kill him unlike you. So I'd say me going alone isn't nearly as bad as you." gesturing towards him with a wave of her hand.

Ron pointed off in a general direction. "I can go where I want and handle myself just fine thank you very much!" then he closed the distance between them. "Just tell me something Kim. When you had your little talk with Ronald what was it about huh? I know mine was about how he and I needed to get along better. How I wanted us to be more like real brothers for your sake. See, I went to see him because I wanted to make you happy. So tell me what you guys talked about?" looming over her now.

Kim bit back the words that tried to fly from her mouth. How could she say that she'd gone to Ronald in the hopes of getting him back in her life as her best friend? Was there any way that Ron would accept those words and not find fault in them in this moment considering how riled up they both were? She knew there was just no way anything good would come from that right now.

She placed her hands on his chest and looked up at him with the intent to defuse the situation. "Ron let's just take a minute and calm down. We're both letting our emotions get the better of us." her voice calm and soothing.

Ron felt a knot rise in his throat. She didn't want to tell him something and that was so not a good sign. "Yeah no."

Kim's eyes went wide. "What?"

"Last time we talked about Ronald you said you loved him." Ron's voice serious to go along with the serious face he was wearing right now. "Did you go behind my back and tell Ronald all that best friend stuff? Tell me you didn't go to him behind my back with the whole I love you, but it's not the same love as you have for me crap."

She shoved him away from her, now livid. "It's not crap! Why can't anybody understand that? It's real to me ok! I can't control how I feel about that any more than you or him can about which one of you feels like they are the real Ron Stoppable!" silent tears began running down her cheeks.

To say Ron was taken aback was an understatement. His wife didn't think of him as her best friend. After spending their entire lives together and finally becoming husband and wife, she still wanted Ronald. He hadn't even existed for two years yet and she was so sure he was the only one who could be her best friend? Why?

"When did it happen Kim...huh?" his throat tight, making it hard to speak. "I was always your best friend. Me...not Ronald...I was the one there from day one. Now you can't see me like that anymore? Why am I never enough for you? All through school I watched you run after every cute guy that even looked your way. Then once I finally had you to myself I thought...at last, this is it. This is my happy ever after. Then it got even better when you said you'd marry me. You made me the happiest man alive, but then Ronald comes along and...and..." eyes flickering blue Ron lashed out, making a fist that he slammed down on the kitchen counter so hard that it rattled the dishes in the cabinets.

"Ron I-" she covered her mouth with a hand when she saw what he'd done.

Ron locked his dark brown eyes on her. "I'm sorry but I can't help but feel like Ronald is the latest cute guy to look your way and it's happening all over again." his accusation cutting her to the core.

Backing a wounded animal into a corner is never a good idea. Ron had unwittingly done just that.

Kim strode with a purpose, going right past her husband and into the living room. She didn't say a word, only started pulling on her long coat. Behind her Ron followed from the kitchen.

"What are you doing?" asking even as he watched her snatch up her keys.

Pulling her long red hair free of the coat, Kim looked at Ron with wet eyes, but she was done crying. "I think we both need to cool off."

Ron couldn't believe this. "So you're just going to leave? Where are you going?" he demanded, moving as if to get between her and the door.

She saw his intent and froze him in his tracks with nothing more than a look. "Right now I just don't think either of us can talk to the other without saying something we may regret." taking hold of the doorknob she paused, but didn't look his way. "I'm not leaving. This isn't some dramatic break up or anything. This is just me needing some time to think."

"Kim I don't-"

"Ron you need to cool off too." Kim sniffled. "Trust me on this."

With that she opened the door and stepped out into the cold evening air.

Ron stood in the house they had bought not long after getting married and felt for the first time like it wasn't a safe refuge from the rest of the world. How had this gotten so out of control he wondered as he headed back into the kitchen to put up the food. For once even he wasn't in the mood for nacos. Upon entering the kitchen he halted in his tracks at what he saw.

"Aw man." he groaned as he braced an arm against the door frame.

The kitchen counter where he'd slammed his fist was a ruin of splinters and cracked granite.

**•←←←→→→•←←←→→→•←←←→→→•←←←→→→•←←←→→→•←←←→→→•**

Ronald stood under the hot water, head pressed against the wall. This shower was a godsend after a hard day of work at the diner. He was long done with washing up, now he just wanted to let the water do its magic and ease the stress from the day.

To think Ron had actually been friendly during their talk. He would never have expected that from him before today. Well as far as Ronald was concerned he welcomed the change. He didn't like always being at odds with his would be brother, even if the guy did make him want to break a chair over his head at times. Then again wasn't that how brothers acted? Well not the tweebs, but he still wasn't convinced Mr Dr P hadn't created those two in his lab.

Smiling to himself at his own joke Ronald felt the water begin to cool off. It was too good to last any way. Not that his crappy apartment had anything resembling decent hot water. Still he felt human again. With a twist the shower sputtered to a halt and he reached out to take up his towel.

Once dried and dressed in a basic white shirt and light gray shorts he tossed his wet towel over the shower curtain to dry. With a yawn he left the bathroom, stepping into his bedroom.

"Took you long enough." Bonnie said with a stretch from where she lay on the double bed.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, but somebody just had to use up all the hot water when she took her shower and I had to wait for the tank to fill up again." offering her a lopsided grin as he walked out of the room to check that the door and windows were locked. Lowerton wasn't as nice as Middleton and this neighborhood wasn't as nice as some of the others to be sure.

It also gave Ronald time to try and get himself under control. Something the beautiful woman laying on his bed at this very second was doing very little to help with. Bonnie had always been an attractive girl going all the way back to high school, but ever since that day she'd shown up at his diner begging for scraps she had been filling out nicely. With no small amount of pride Ronald knew his cooking had a heavy hand in that.

Still though the change in her was astounding. Gone was the haggard and almost sickly thin beggar from that day weeks ago. Now Bonnie was a sight to behold with hips that just begged to be grabbed, not to mention how she was filling out those sweat pants of hers when she bent over to grab something out of the fridge.

Ok Ronald calm thoughts...do not let yourself get carried away he admonished himself as he finished his checks and headed back to the bedroom. Just be patient, all good things to those who wait and all that. Once she's recovered from her surgery you can...

He froze like a deer in headlights the moment he entered the bedroom.

"Something wrong?" asked the woman laying on his bed in nothing but a tiny pair of black panties and matching bra.

Ronald could not have spoken if he tried.

Bonnie was happy to see the effect she had on him. It had been a long time since she felt pretty enough to be this bold and the only reason she had mustered the courage to do it was because of him. She knew without a doubt that Ronald was the best thing to ever happen to her. He made her feel safe and when he looked at her she felt clean and wanted. Things she had forgotten in the past years on the street. She had done things, disgusting things that left her thinking she would never be good enough for anybody ever again. Yet now in this moment, seeing the way he was looking at her filled her with hope that just maybe she was good enough.

"Aren't you coming to bed?" she asked coyly, crooking a finger to beckon him closer. Her teal eyes half hidden by her lashes as she looked at him hungrily.

Ronald was under no illusion as to what she meant. No way he was misunderstanding that look. "Um, you sure? Cause...I think..." He was stuttering. Great just great. Way to fumble the ball he thought to himself.

Oh he was just too cute when he blushed like that Bonnie thought to herself. "The doc gave me a clean bill of health." she patted the bed beside her. "If you don't believe me you'll just have to come check on your employee yourself boss." biting her lower lip with a wicked smile just for him.

"Boss huh?" brows raised even as he approached the bed. Hey if the doctor said things were ok who was he to argue with a professional?

Nodding, Bonnie leaned back on her elbows, extending her legs fully and crossing them at the ankles. She was the picture of enticing with her slightly tan skin and matching brown hair falling over her shoulders to lightly graze the swell of her breasts that the sheer bra couldn't contain. Ronald couldn't take her all in so he was left to let his eyes wander to his heart's content. He felt light headed just looking at her.

"Well you are technically my boss aren't you?" she asked in an innocent voice that so did not fit the former Queen B of Middleton High at all.

Swallowing hard, he lowered himself onto the bed one knee at a time. "I think we're more partners than anything at this point." still not taking his eyes off her.

"Oh in that case we're equals." still using that sweet little innocent voice. "Well no fair that you've got on more clothes than me." effecting a little pout on her full lips.

Ronald practically tore his shirt off in his haste to rid himself of it. Bonnie couldn't help but giggle when he struggled with his head stuck in it for a moment. Though she had to admit that watching his upper body as he fought to be free of the shirt was a sight to behold. Gone was the image of the scrawny loser from back in the day. In his place was a lean, but well muscled man. Ronald didn't have a six pack, but he was far from soft around the middle either. She watched the muscles at play just under his skin and admired the smooth power they projected. He wasn't one of those over developed meat heads like she would have gone for back in her school days. No, Ronald's body was far more practical and alluring in a way she couldn't quite describe. All the men she'd been with before and after her time on the streets had all been mere trophies or in the case of the latter, just a means to an end. She'd never really been attracted to any of them, but with Ronald that was so not the case.

Bonnie often found herself watching him throughout the day. She enjoyed how his clothes fit his body as he moved around at work or even just relaxing on the couch. The way his hair was just long enough that it could fall into his eyes now and then. The five o'clock shadow he sported just because one time she mentioned how she liked that look on him. It was just everything about him that called to her and made her want to get as close to him as possible.

When Ronald threw his shirt aside she marveled at the way his upper body drew her eyes. She'd never before found herself enticed by a man's body like this and it was so new and exciting for her.

Ronald gave a wolfish grin. "Ok now it's fair."

She arched one perfect dark brow just a little. "Oh really?" thrusting her chin his way. "How can I be sure you're wearing anything under those shorts?"

"Good question." agreeing with her as he fell forward to crawl towards her. "I guess you can check if you want to." his voice low.

Bonnie's heart did a back flip in her chest. The way he moved as he approached her reminded her of something stalking its prey and she felt her insides turn to liquid heat.

Coming up next to her, Ronald reached across her to brace himself so that he had an arm on either side of her. He could feel the warmth of her body against his cool skin after the shower. Then there was her scent driving him crazy. It was something like honey and velvet if that even made sense, which he had to admit it didn't, but damned if he cared right now.

"You'd like that wouldn't you?" Bonnie said with a hitch in her voice as he leaned over her.

His words filled her ear, sending shivers all the way down to her toes. "You have no idea how much I would."

Even if she had been able to conjure words to reply, his lips sealed against her own and the world both faded away and exploded into being at the same time. She couldn't explain it, she could barely think. This wasn't their first kiss, but it felt so different. Like some connection of wires between them had finally fallen into place and they were both burning from it. Her hands splayed across his back, pulling him down onto her as she melted into the kiss. There was nothing in her life that could have prepared her for the all consuming desire she had for him in this moment. The whimper of need she could not repress was devoured by his mouth.

Ronald was lost in a vortex of physical need so great that it bordered on painful. He wanted Bonnie more than he could put into words. He wanted to be inside her, to hold her, to please her, and never ever let her go. His thoughts were sweet chaos as their bodies came ever more into contact. Her skin was calling to him and no matter what he did he couldn't get enough of it. His hands roamed over her stomach, fingertips lightly grazing trails as they went. With the slightest brush of his hand against the side of one perfect breast he felt her shudder despite the her bra. The sound she made compelled him to throw caution to the wind as he moved over her, pressing himself between her thighs, wanting her to understand exactly what she was doing to him. How much she was driving him mad with the need for her.

She felt him move against her and gasped when the sheer fabric of her panties did nothing to stop the hardness of him from pressing into her. Knowing she was the cause of that made her feel powerful in a way she knew would become addictive. She would want to do this again and again, to drive this man to his breaking point. All the while knowing she was what he craved.

Bonnie welcomed Ronald to her, digging her heels into the mattress and grinding up against him with her hips. The effect was his sudden intake of breath, the kiss ending as they locked eyes.

The world stood still.

Ronald wasn't aware of his own pulse thundering in his chest. All that existed for him was the woman under him. All he wanted was her. All he needed was her.

"Yes." Bonnie whispered, her lips parted as she tried to breathe.

He had no idea what she meant. He was lost in her now.

Reaching up she put a hand on the back of his head and pulled him down so their noses touched. "Yes Ronald I want you." her voice a mewling thing full of need.

A low growl lept from his throat and Ronald couldn't take it any more. The sound of ripping fabric barely registered to them as he tore her panties away with one hand. Her own hands raced down his chest and stomach before reaching his boxers. In moments she had freed him of the cloth prison only to capture him with both her hands.

Ronald lowered his head as a guttural grown of pleasure hissed past his lips. "...jesus..."

Bonnie had wanted to touch him for so long and the wait had been worth it. The hard proof of his desire filled her hands to overflowing. She marveled at how supple and warm he felt as she slowly began to stroke the length of him. She felt a wave of heat run up her body and knew she was close even now. God that was crazy she thought. Just touching him and she was on the cusp of a climax!

She needed more, so much more.

Closing her eyes, she arched against him. "Now." she demanded with a growl of her own.

Ronald moved lower while Bonnie's hands provided guidance. He felt the silken haven of her body open to him and his thoughts became pure primal need. The heat of her drew him in. The wet welcome that was all for him made his entry all too easy.

In one clean thrust they were one and both of them all but screamed with the pleasure of it.

Bonnie felt like she was falling and the world was nothing but the feel of Ronald moving inside her. His body demanded she accept it and in turn her own wanted all of him. The pain from his thrusts had melted into a bliss she'd never imagined possible. There was no drink nor drug that could rival what he was doing to her. She didn't exist anymore without him, her body or his, it didn't matter now. They were the same.

Perfect. That word was far too limited, but it was all Ronald had to describe what was happening. It was like she was made for him. They fit together so well, their bodies working in unison, driving away everything that existed but her. He couldn't think of anything else but the pinpoint of their connection. That one spot was his undoing and salvation. It was all he knew, all he needed to ever know. His hips drove into her again and again, her thighs wet now with their love making.

The two lovers fell into a rhythm that defined their existence. Eyes locked with one another as their bodies worked towards the promised bliss their union would provide. No words were exchanged as they were not needed. Everything the two wanted to say was shared through touch. Their lips demanded. Fingers questioned. Hearts raced with the thrill of it all.

It happened before she even understood it.

Bonnie's entire body locked into place as she came, her nails digging into Ronald's back. The sounds that tore their way up her throat were primal and pure with her release. It was like she would break at any moment from the intensity of it and if she could have managed a coherent thought fear might taken hold of her. It was too much! This was too much!

God he was still going she was finally able to think between the waves of ecstasy that sent her eyes rolling before she closed them.

He felt the slick warmth of her body clamp down on him and almost lost control in that moment. Ronald knew she was climaxing and watched with a keen satisfaction as she rode her pleasure out beneath him. It was beautiful...she was beautiful. The blood she drew on his back didn't even register, he was so taken by what he saw. He wanted to follow her into that bliss and that caused him to redouble his efforts. His thrusts became manic as his own climax approached.

Bonnie felt herself being driven into the mattress with the force of his need. It was like he was bending her body around the unyielding hardness that was buried deep inside her every time their hips met. The sounds of his grunts filled the room, matching his thrusts perfectly. She was going to shatter and she didn't care. All she wanted was for him to find her in this moment. To be with him together in this place. Wonderfully together.

When he came it was a thing of rigid muscle and throat tearing growls of satisfaction. He filled her with his essence, claiming her from within and she thrilled at it. He shuddered above her as the last of his desire emptied into her. He barely had the strength to push himself to the side before falling onto the bed.

They lay without speaking for several minutes, letting the air cool their skin.

She wasn't sure, but Bonnie thought she might have blacked out there for a second at the end. She'd heard other women talk about multiple orgasms, but nobody had ever mentioned a nuclear bomb going off between her legs!

Ronald pulled her to him, wrapping her up in his arms. "You ok?" he asked in a husky voice that sounded like he was barely able to form the words.

Snuggling into him she smiled. "Yes."

"Good." then he kissed the top of her head gently.

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**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

I am very sorry that I haven't updated in so long. You see I had to have emergency surgery and then go through recovery and appointments ect. Trust me when I say I would have much rather avoided it. So there you have it. No excuses mind you, just informing you as to what was going on. I thank all of you for your patience and I hope you will forgive me.

Now let's look forward to the adventure of writing shall we?


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